berlin

Never would I have imagined Berlin feeling as safe, comfortable and manageable as we have found it. This includes the people who have been nothing but friendly anytime us foreigners have been lost or needed help completing a transaction in English. Growing up learning about Germany's brutal history and hearing of the stiffness of the culture, I have been pleasantly surprised. Rumor has it this is all the result of some 'personality training' the locals received leading up to the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

As I mentioned in my previous post, we are staying in West Berlin with most of the sites to be seen located in East Berlin. The city is about 3 times the size of Paris, yet we have managed to make our way around without error both within the city center and outside the city. Rarely do I hear of people visiting Berlin [even those who venture to Germany] yet it is the grounds for an overwhelming amount of world history.

Within 2 days, we have visited major historical landmarks from World War I and WWII through the reunification of Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 [one of the first substantial historical events I remember]. There is a portion of the wall still standing which can be walked. A truly eerie sight and feeling, walking along a wall built to divide a country and a symbol of political struggle going through the middle of one of the largest cities in Europe. The largest portion still standing is now called the East Side Gallery, a couple blocks of wall covered in artists' murals demonstrating the hope for a united world. A must-visit destination for anyone who enjoys history.

As of yesterday, I had officially been gone a week and am astounded at the ground I have covered. Andrew and I have discussed numerous times how valuable a trip like this would have been as students - studying the subjects we are now witnessing first-hand. Instead we are forced to almost re-learn what we are seeing, which I suppose isn't terrible, especially with the more 'adult' concept of the world we now possess.

Oh yeah and, on a lighter note, I had a beer with my McDonald's combo meal today. You can trade it straight-up in place of a large soda. Big Mac, fries, and a beer for 5.40Euro. I knew it existed but had a hard time finding it. Mission accomplished.

One more day in Berlin before we hit a train headed for the Czech Republic and our final stop: Prague.