Goodbye, Berlin

Berlin at night

I'm writing this blog on the train to Munich! This morning we got up early to catch our 8am train...it's a six hour ride. I can't believe that we have left Berlin already. It really was an incredible city. It felt very busy and lively, yet very connected to its history. I think that's where the combination of modern and traditional comes from. It is weird how it was the little things that made the country feel so foreign: the pedestrian street lights, the locks on the doors, etc.. I felt like a foreigner, but I also felt more comfortable and confident navigating through the city as time went on. I am sad to leave because I feel that there is so much more to see, though I am so excited to see what Munich brings us. I have heard that it is more like the traditional German that often comes to mind, and that it is a completely different culture from Berlin. 

A courtyard in Hackesche Höfe

Hackesche Höfe

For our last night in Berlin, Jenna and I went to Ka De We, the largest department store in Europe. Wow! Six floors of shopping that covered an entire city block (at least I think it did!). We only looked around for a bit (it was very spendy!) but I picked up a couple souvenirs from Berlin. Afterwards, the whole group met up and Gudrun took us to Bendler Block, a memorial for the Nazi resistance movement. We only had about 20 minutes to look around, but I am really glad that I got to see it. I honestly wasn't very aware of the brave things people did to fight back against the Nazis, and it is sad to think that most of them lost their lives in the cause. If I ever come back to Berlin, I will make a point to come back to this memorial and learn more about what happened. Gudrun also said we would discuss this more in her German film class this spring, which I am signed up to take. 

Beer tasting at Lemke

We then took the U bahn to Brauhaus Lemke, a brewery in Hackescher Markt. We got there a little early so we walked around Hackesche Höfe. It is kind of hard to describe, but it is make up of a bunch of interconnected courtyards with shops and restaurants in between. It was a very nice area and I would have loved to spend more time there. I kept thinking about how my mom would like this area; maybe we can take a family trip there sometime. Dinner was delicious. We got to try four different beers: an original, a pilsner, a weizen, and a winter bock. The weizen smelled a lot like bananas and was a little fruity for my taste. I really liked the original; it was slightly bitter (more than I am used to drinking) but very pleasant. For dinner we had cream of mushroom soup and goulash with meat, potatoes, and carrots. During dinner, Jenna and I noticed that a group of students from the VLB that we saw on Monday were at the table across the room. Brian said hi to a couple of the men from California and the came over to our table to say hello. In a city of three million people, what are the chances that they would end up at the exact same restaurant as us?! Makes me think about what a small world it really is. 

We took a double decker bus on the way back to our hotel. I got to sit in the very front on top, which was a great way to view the city. I felt like our driver was a little crazy, but it was still very worth it. Driving through Berlin this way was definitely the best way to end our time there. Hopefully one of these days I will make it back to this beautiful, unique city one of these days. Until then, auf wiedersehen Berlin!

Being silly on the bus home. Berlin was so much fun!