Even though I included a little bit of information and a couple pictures of the East Side Gallery at the Berlin Wall, here's a load more to feast your eyes on.
Showing posts with label Germany. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Germany. Show all posts
Monday, 4 February 2013
Sunday, 3 February 2013
Berlin
Okay, maybe I lied a little bit in my last post. When booking my flight to South America I obviously hunted around and looked for the cheapest and most direct one, which turned out to be from Frankfurt to Recife all in one go. Perfect. Just needed to get to Germany now, and as I was doing that I thought I would take the opportunity to see my friend Ollie who lives in Berlin
Getting into Berlin Tegel airport was a little ropey, the wind was unreal and we were swaying around like it was a RyanAir flight. Still, touched down in one piece and then from there to Alexanderplatz, a touristy square in town, was incredibly straight forward. Just hop on a bus and it takes you straight there.
With the weather been a little dreary and having limited time, I figured I'd just take it easy and not bust a gut trying to see everything in one weekend, as with most places I always imagine I'll be back again some time. Except Omsk.
I figured walking around would be the best way to see the city so I bought a map in the local shop, circled the main points of interest and set off. As much as I would have loved to see everything I had to be realistic so another trip to visit all the museums is definitely something to look forward to. There's so much history here.
Anyhow, I decided to spread my walking out over two days and pretty much saw all the main draws. Started off with a trip to the East Side Gallery, this is basically a 1.3km stretch of the Berlin Wall that is still standing and dedicated as a memorial to freedom, with paintings done by over 100 different artists. Some of the drawings still look great but unfortunately some of them have been defaced with graffiti, however some of them were spruced up again in 2009. I took loads of pictures here so I'll post a load more in another post.
Using the Fersehturm (the tall tower) as a guide to get back to the Alexanderplatz area, I used this as my base to see the surrounding sights. Lots of walking involved but managed to fit in most of the stuff I wanted to. Although I had the map, I barely looked at it as everything is so well sign posted in Berlin. All the sights are marked with directions at practically every corner.
In a nutshell then: saw the Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral) although it's not really a cathedral technically as there's never been a bishop based there, the Holocaust Memorial with it's 2711 stelae to remember the Jews who perished during World War II, Brandenburg Gate, the last of 18 gates in the city and now a national symbol of Germany's reunification. While the Wall was up, this gate was in no man's land, sandwiched between the walls.
Of course I have barely touched the surface here in Berlin and am already planning a long weekend summer break here in my head. With the weather been so cold and wet, there was no point going up view points on the Victory Column or the Reichstag. The fact I actually want to go to the museums here means that this is one destination I will certainly come back to.
Getting into Berlin Tegel airport was a little ropey, the wind was unreal and we were swaying around like it was a RyanAir flight. Still, touched down in one piece and then from there to Alexanderplatz, a touristy square in town, was incredibly straight forward. Just hop on a bus and it takes you straight there.
With the weather been a little dreary and having limited time, I figured I'd just take it easy and not bust a gut trying to see everything in one weekend, as with most places I always imagine I'll be back again some time. Except Omsk.
I figured walking around would be the best way to see the city so I bought a map in the local shop, circled the main points of interest and set off. As much as I would have loved to see everything I had to be realistic so another trip to visit all the museums is definitely something to look forward to. There's so much history here.
Anyhow, I decided to spread my walking out over two days and pretty much saw all the main draws. Started off with a trip to the East Side Gallery, this is basically a 1.3km stretch of the Berlin Wall that is still standing and dedicated as a memorial to freedom, with paintings done by over 100 different artists. Some of the drawings still look great but unfortunately some of them have been defaced with graffiti, however some of them were spruced up again in 2009. I took loads of pictures here so I'll post a load more in another post.
Using the Fersehturm (the tall tower) as a guide to get back to the Alexanderplatz area, I used this as my base to see the surrounding sights. Lots of walking involved but managed to fit in most of the stuff I wanted to. Although I had the map, I barely looked at it as everything is so well sign posted in Berlin. All the sights are marked with directions at practically every corner.
In a nutshell then: saw the Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral) although it's not really a cathedral technically as there's never been a bishop based there, the Holocaust Memorial with it's 2711 stelae to remember the Jews who perished during World War II, Brandenburg Gate, the last of 18 gates in the city and now a national symbol of Germany's reunification. While the Wall was up, this gate was in no man's land, sandwiched between the walls.
Other obvious highlights were Check Point Charlie, the most famous checkpoint in Berlin from 1945 - 1989 and memorable for a tank stand off in 1961 between Soviet and American forces, the Victory Column (Siegessäule) affectionately known as 'Golden Lizzie' and the Reichstag, home to the German parliament.
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| Berliner Dom |
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| Memorial to Victims of War and Tyranny |
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| Within the Memorial to Victims of War and Tyranny |
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| Brandenburg Gate |
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| Soviet War Memorial |
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| 'Golden Lizzie' |
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| Reichstag |
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| Check Point Charlie |
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| Holocaust Memorial |
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
Bobbing in for a cheeky German pint
As the weather was so perfect, heading out for a day on the bicycles seemed like a great shout. Armed with packed lunch and typical Dutch brakes in the wrong place (you have to pedal backwards to stop) we set off along the dike running parallel to the Rhine with the intention of cycling into Germany for a cheeky pint before coming home.
Luckily Tim lives right by the border so taking the scenie route is only about 20km, which we covered in reasonable time while moving at a leisurely pace. Obligatory stops for photos and food breaks and the occasional rest at one of the many signs in the Dutch countryside specifically designed for cyclists. There are so many cycle routes here with so many signs it must be impossible to get lost.
Approaching the border, and with the brilliant blue skies, we decided to stop off and get an ice cream. The housing had become decidedly less Dutch and the road became less cycle friendly until the very moment you cross the border. At this instant, the cycle lanes disappear and you know you're in Germany.
The nearest town, Elten, was just round the corner. A quaint little village really with a small square with a few cafes surrounding it on one end and a couple pubs on the other. Made a beeline for the pubs but to our dismay and surprise they were all shut. Feeling we weren't going to get our pint we headed into the local bakery for some German cheesecake, wow. So creamy, nothing like the usual stuff I've had before.
We were about to head to our bikes and set off but we were drawn to the pubs again, the doors were open now on all of them and as we looked at our watches we realised that the pubs must open at 4pm. Testing out this theory we went to the closest one and walked into be greeted by a stout looking fellow. Thankfully Tim speaks German too so within minutes we were outside with our big 500ml glasses enjoying the glorious sunshine.
Once satiated, we headed back in a different direction and enjoyed another couple beers at a local restaurant in Zevenaar, a popular town for students. During the daytime, the square acts as host to all those after coffee, but as the evening draws on, the chairs and tables are put away and people just drink and dance outside. Might have to come back this way again I think.
With the sun gone and the darkness setting in, more beers would have been a disaster, especially as I was still not quite used to my enormous bike. Everyone here has such long legs. Another detour brought us home a different way, with the smell of homemade food to welcome us as we walked in the house. What a treat.
Luckily Tim lives right by the border so taking the scenie route is only about 20km, which we covered in reasonable time while moving at a leisurely pace. Obligatory stops for photos and food breaks and the occasional rest at one of the many signs in the Dutch countryside specifically designed for cyclists. There are so many cycle routes here with so many signs it must be impossible to get lost.
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| Housing along the dike |
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| One of many roads catered for small vehicles and bikes |
 |
| Local windmill |
Approaching the border, and with the brilliant blue skies, we decided to stop off and get an ice cream. The housing had become decidedly less Dutch and the road became less cycle friendly until the very moment you cross the border. At this instant, the cycle lanes disappear and you know you're in Germany.
The nearest town, Elten, was just round the corner. A quaint little village really with a small square with a few cafes surrounding it on one end and a couple pubs on the other. Made a beeline for the pubs but to our dismay and surprise they were all shut. Feeling we weren't going to get our pint we headed into the local bakery for some German cheesecake, wow. So creamy, nothing like the usual stuff I've had before.
We were about to head to our bikes and set off but we were drawn to the pubs again, the doors were open now on all of them and as we looked at our watches we realised that the pubs must open at 4pm. Testing out this theory we went to the closest one and walked into be greeted by a stout looking fellow. Thankfully Tim speaks German too so within minutes we were outside with our big 500ml glasses enjoying the glorious sunshine.
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| Crossing the border |
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| Yes, cake |
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| Elten |
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| More German refreshments |
Once satiated, we headed back in a different direction and enjoyed another couple beers at a local restaurant in Zevenaar, a popular town for students. During the daytime, the square acts as host to all those after coffee, but as the evening draws on, the chairs and tables are put away and people just drink and dance outside. Might have to come back this way again I think.
With the sun gone and the darkness setting in, more beers would have been a disaster, especially as I was still not quite used to my enormous bike. Everyone here has such long legs. Another detour brought us home a different way, with the smell of homemade food to welcome us as we walked in the house. What a treat.
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