On December 18th, I had an 8:53 train from Dresden to Berlin. Since I had to walk a bit anyway to get to a taxi, I just decided to walk a smidge farther and take the tram to the train station. Conditions were a bit icy that morning so I was happy to make it to the train station without busting my butt!
Dresden train station is so nice and has good stores and eateries. I grabbed something at Eatly and then boarded my train.
My train arrived at 10:30 and I took a taxi to the hotel. I was able to check in so I dropped my bags in my room and headed out. I had a basic idea of what I wanted to do in Berlin during my time there, but didn't have many things pre-scheduled.
I did have a ticket to the DDR museum purchased for the day I arrived. I relied on public transportation the whole time I was in Berlin to get around the city and outskirt that I visited. I took the bus to the museum. I stopped to admire the Berlin Cathedral before entering the museum.
I didn't take any photos of the inside of this museum, but it explores what life was like under the Deutsche Demokratische Republik (East Germany) from 1949 to 1990.
I admired the outside of a few of the museums as I walked to the Christmas market located close by.
Front of the cathedral
I went to the Christmas market and grabbed a smash burger for lunch.
I walked to the subway and took it to see the Berlin Wall and to the Berlin Wall Memorial.
There is a tower you can go up at the Memorial to get what I assume is a good vantage point on these remaining segments of the wall. The elevator was broken so I just have to use my imagination on that.
This particular segment of the wall in the next few pictures was built through a cemetery.
A memorial to those who died at the wall
I thought those from 1989 were particularly heartbreaking because they were just months from freedom
After seeing the wall, I took the subway across town. I walked through another Christmas Market...
....on my way to Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe) department store.
I shopped around and had a snack at the Ladurée counter inside.
These brightly colored chocolate Santas were so cute though I think I managed to leave without buying much. I tried to get a lipstick just because I realized I was out, but it turns out they were too. I did buy my Dad some plum jelly.
I took the subway back across town to the German History Museum. The main exhibit was closed (no idea, that's what they said) but there were two exhibits open. I randomly chose one and it was called "Roads not Taken". It examined several points in Germany history and how if something else had happened it would have had very different results. It was interesting, but it went backwards in time and that kind of drove me insane.
The exhibit started with 1989-
Reality: In the Autumn of 1989, a growing number of people in East Germany demonstrated against the communist regime, thereby increasing pressure on the government. This led ultimately to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Possibility: On the 40th anniversary of the East German state, its security forces responded with massive force. There was a possible threat that the East German authorities would suppress the protest violently, as the Chinese had done on Tiananmen Square.
One that I found very interesting because it wasn't something I had known about was 1945-
Reality: The Wehrmacht's failed attempt to blow up the bridge at Remagen in March 1945 accelerated the Allies' advance. The war ended before U.S. plans to drop an atomic bomb on Germany had matured.
Possibility: The end of the war might have been delayed for several months. Dropping the atomic bomb to force Germany to capitulate would have been an increasingly likely possibility.
The exhibit covered events like this from 1989-1848
After the museum, I took public transport back to my hotel and then walked to the Gendarmenmarkt. I stayed at a hotel close to this market because based on what I had read, I thought it would be a great one to visit every night (if I wanted to).
It's unique because they charge 2 Euros to enter. That's why it is fenced off. There are only like 3 points of entry.
It was so beautiful! The Gendarmenmarkt is situated between the German Cathedral and the French Cathedral and on the steps of the Concert Hall.
It had elevated food options. The first and third nights I got dinner here...
I had the Spätzle (not the champagne), and they were hand making it there. It was incredible. I got bacon, cheese and fried onions.
I stopped at a chocolate store for a little dessert and also at the REWE grocery store on the way back to the hotel and bought some things for breakfast and sodas for the room.
For my 3 night stay in Berlin, I chose the NH Collection Berlin Mitte am Checkpoint Charlie hotel. It was a big hotel and met all my needs. I don't know that this is where I would have stayed outside of the Christmas season (I actually wanted to stay at the Hilton across from that market I visited but it was just a lot more expensive).
I think a couple of the elevators were out of commission (I'm assuming they were behind a section that was blocked by plywood) and that was a bit of a pain.
My room was spacious. but I wish it had been a true king bed instead of the two twins stuck together.
It had one of those stupid showers that you find all over europe that will flood the whole bathroom if you aren't careful.
That's a wrap on day one of Berlin. Seeing the Berlin Wall was really a major deal for me. I have such memories of everything from Reagan's "...tear down this wall" speech to watching on tv November 9, 1989 when they opened the border and people started chipping away at it. Then finishing the evening at the prettiest Christmas market all made for a really great day.
Comments