Saturday, April 13, 2013

Berlin, Germany (Hop-On/Hop-Off City Circle Tour)

This morning we woke up early to be at the City-Circle Tour pick-up point at the Alexanderplatz before the tour buses arrived (and maybe so we could stop at Dunkin Donuts on the way)!


We specifically got there super-early so we would be first in line for the bus and the kids could get the "good seat" in the front of the top of the bus.  We even split up so that my husband would be first in line if they opened the back door and I would be first in line if they opened the front door.  What really ticked me off was when a French couple at the end of the line (who had seen us waiting for at least 15 min.) directed their kids to get in front of us!  I am normally not a rude person but I shook my head no and placed my hand along the door so they couldn't cut us.  Then, when they did open the doors they tried to push past my kids to get in front of them.  I got in front of them again and told my kids to go get their seats and then blocked the path again so I could show the driver our tickets (and make sure those kids didn't try to take our seats)!  I was so angry!  They ended up sitting right behind us too and at one point even came in front of us to take pictures...breathe, Mel, breathe...


Anyway, despite all that the tour itself was a typical Hop-On/Hop-Off tour.  They gave us headsets on our first bus but when we had to get off and get on a second bus they had already ran out (I don't know if that is typical of this tour group or just that bus that day).  Also, the English channel was broken on one of the headsets on the second bus as well.  But, it served its purpose for what we needed it for (easy transportation) so we were happy.  At this point in our trip though we were just done.  We were "tripped out" and knew that we would be going home the next day and was rather excited about it!

It was a good day though and we got to see a lot of really interesting things....




Deutcher Bundestag
The Deutcher Bundestag (German Parliament) is open to visitors but you have to have a reservation for a specific time slot.  We weren't interested in going up (well, we weren't interested with the hassle of getting a reservation) but we have heard good things from friends who have gone!


Berlin Cathedral
Berlin Victory Column

Bellevue Palace
Charlottenburg Castle

We got off the bus around this stop to have a quick bite to eat (Pizza Hut for the win) and stretch our legs.  There is also a Legoland Discovery Centre nearby the kids would have loved but we were running really short on time!  We ended up walking from here to the Topography of Terror exhibit nearby.
"Topography of Terror" - this site is the present-day name of the site on which the most important institutions of the Nazi apparatus of terror and persecution where located between the 1933 and 1945: the headquarters of the Secret State Police (Gestapo), the Reich SS Leadership and Security Service (SD) of the SS and, from 1939 on, the Reich Security Main Office."









We were worried how the kids would react to the exhibits but we gave them access to the iPad and they stayed glued to the screen the entire time.  We took turns staying with the kids and viewing the exhibits (written in German and English) as well but we didn't feel comfortable staying for too long.  We did purchase their book from the gift shop (20 EUR) that had all the exhibits (and more) in it to read later and it was worth it, especially since admission was free anyway.

The Jewish Museum is across the street and was highly recommended to us; however, we didn't feel comfortable taking the kids inside.  We were also emotionally drained from Topography of Terror and really wanted to do something "fun" for the kids.

From here we got back on the City-Circle Tour bus and rode to the East Side Gallery to view the largest remaining portion of the former Berlin Wall, a one-mile stretch.   "It is the largest open-air gallery in the world with over one hundred original mural paintings."




From here Checkpoint Charlie was our last stop before heading back to the hotel.  There are no words for what it felt like to "re-live" that part of history, to see photographs of the horrible things that happened and to walk out and stand on the same street in the pictures.  It is humbling.







Tickets cost (25 EUR) for our family but no photos were allowed. (Although, I think you can buy photo permission at the information counter).  Lockers are available for your bags (you can't carry them in) and they cost 2 EUR (you will need exact change).  There is also a museum shop and a small cafe inside too. The kids did very well inside, they didn't understand the history behind what they were seeing but they were as respectful as they could be and we were proud of them.

After we left we walked back to our hotel from the Alexanderplatz and found a great little neighborhood with an amazing restaurant for dinner, Gausthaus Zur Rippe!

View of Berlin Cathedral from the Nikolai Quarter
Berlin Cathedral


Church of St. Nicholas 


(She was posing in "first position" at every stop, I think she enjoys ballet!)



Kohlroulade mit Salzkartoffeln 
It was a very long but enjoyable day...a perfect end to a long but enjoyable week away!  It's hard to believe we head home tomorrow but we are ready for our own beds!

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