2004.09.13 in Berlin

Went on a free walking tour of Berlin that covered the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, the Holocaust Memorial (in progress), Hitler's Bunker (which is now an obscure parking spot in some apartment complex), Potsdamer Platz (future downtown hub), the Wall, the SS headquarters, Checkpoint Charlie (the crucial spot during Cold War), the TV Tower and some other spots. The historical significance of the city and the differences between pre-WWII and Nazi Germany and East vs. West Berlin were eye-openers & truly fascinating. I'll admit I didn't know too much about the city but this tour was fantastic and everyone glady gave the tour guide tips (that's what the tour company works for) afterwards.

There's a long section of the Wall that's still intact without any mural paintings but original graffiti. But since tourists were chipping away at the wall for souvenirs after 1989, it started to fall apart - so, another wall/fence was erected to protect the Wall itself ironic, eh?

We waited in a long ass line to go up the Reichstag (Berlin's parliament) which had a major emphasis on security - more so than any airport or museum. For dinner we went for some German food and had some weiner schnitzel - it was good but not worth the 15 euros we paid for!