When those words were spoken by former American President John F. Kennedy, he said them this way: "Lasst sie nach Berlin kommen." He used that phrase when he made his "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech.
I had always wanted to go to Berlin.
I grew up hearing stories about the famous landmarks that are still standing today. My grandparents lived in Germany two separate times during my grandfather's 20-year Army career, one of which was Berlin where my grandparents, dad, and uncle lived in divided Germany. They were behind the Iron Curtain when the Berlin Wall was still standing. I looked forward to a day where I could see where they all lived and stand where they stood. A four-day weekend was my chance.
A little background: We are a military family and The Mr. got stationed in Germany last year. Because I found out I was pregnant one month after arriving and suffered from sciatica for most of my pregnancy, it was hard to be on my feet for long or walking long distances. Once Little T got beyond two months old,, we planned our first trip.
We left bright and early, hoping the kids would have some time to sleep (they didn't) and that we'd avoid traffic (we fortunately did). We checked in to a hotel in what used to be East Berlin, complete with a gigantic fish tank that stretched five stories high. The girls loved seeing the fish swimming around, and there were even little Dories in the tank.
We set off for some sightseeing after refueling with pizza (and beer for the adults). Unfortunately, it was typical Berlin weather and was cold, rainy, and super windy. We ducked into an aquarium for some fun for the kids. We didn't get to do much. The kids were worn out, and it was a mom-fail thinking they would have rested enough in the car to do more things. I was wrong.
We started fresh on Sunday and fit in ALL THE SIGHTS. We saw:
The Berlin Cathedral
It has a pretty intense history dating back to the 1500's. Basically, churches were built, then re-built, it was hit by bombing during World War II and then rebuilt again. What is there today is pretty much what it has looked like since its completion in 1905. It was damaged due to Allied bombings in World War II. The bells made a beautiful sound. Tourists can enter.
The Brandenburg Gate from the East side (a view my family members never got to see)...
This is the symbol of Germany, representing Unity and Peace. It was built between 1788 and 1791. Four horses pull the chariot of Eirene, the Greek goddess of peace. She originally held an olive wreath, but after Napoleon stole it in 1806, the wreath was replaced with an Iron Cross once returned. The American Embassy is located in what was East Berlin, to the right of the Gate in the photograph.
The Reichstag Building
You can go in here for a fee. The glass dome offers a wide view of the city.
The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
There are 2,711 concrete slabs in a 4.7-acre area. It's built near Hitler's bunker which is under a parking lot now. There's no fee to view this.
Various sections of the original wall like here...
...and here...
This is the Topography of Terrors Museum. It's built in the basement of a former Gestapo and SS headquarters building, where prisoners were tortured and executed. It details the repression of the Nazi regime. The building was destroyed by Allied bombings, and the rubble of the gates is still there. This is a free site, but there is a museum to the left in the photograph, which you may enter for a fee.
...and here (part of the East Side Gallery)
This portion of the original wall stretches a great distance. Top graffiti artists were asked to paint different portions. This is a free site, but take the time for a long walk along the wall. Much of the graffiti is politically charged.
Checkpoint Charlie
This was a crossing point between East and West Berlin that was controlled by Americans. The wall was on the left side running almost directly through an intersection. There's no fee to see it, but there is a museum in the background. You can tip the kooky "soldiers" and take photographs with them.
St. Mary's Church
The Church was a Catholic church until the Protestant Reformation when it became a Lutheran Protestant Church. A statue of Martin Luther stands in front of it. You can enter the church for free, but no photography inside.
The Berlin TV Tower
To the right of St. Mary's Church stands the Berlin TV Tower. It was built in the 1960's and was a symbol of both the communist regime and East Berlin.
Kaiser Wilhelm Church
The church was damaged, like many buildings in Berlin, in the Allied bombings. Repairs were made to maintain the structure and a new church was built at the site.
We also drove to the house where my family members lived, which is now diplomatic housing. We saw so many museums, but it wasn't the best choice with three children in tow. Next time. Walking around the city, there was no shortage of things to do. We spent three days there, and I feel like there is so much more we could have seen and done.
There were a few cool things we saw:
Like Ampelmannchen
East Germans used a man in a hat to tell you when to cross and when to wait. There are entire souvenir shops dedicated to him. Apparently the symbol was removed since it was developed by the communists, but demonstrators protested to have it brought back in 2005. Now he is one of the few symbols of East Germany still used.
These statues along a bridge
The Neptune Fountain
Statue of Karl Marx and Freidrich Engels
The city was fairly easy to navigate with children and even with strollers. I wore Little T while The Mr. pushed A and N in the stroller. They girls loved riding around, and we were able to fit in things like the aquarium that we knew they'd enjoy.
As with most cities, visitors are often leery of pickpocketing. Berlin is no exception, but they have spray painted warning symbols on the ground in high pickpocket areas to warn tourists.
The drive home was hectic. We hit multiple staus (the German term for traffic jam) and a closed Autobahn. The Mr. kept trying to find routes around, but everyone else was doing the same. At one point I was double-fisting juice boxes and wishing it was wine.
The Mr. finally came up with a route where no one was going. That route just so happened to be a gravel road we probably weren't supposed to be driving down. We can speak enough German to get by, but when it comes to signs, we aren't always great at that. I didn't have any suggestions to improve our situation, so I said, "I hope this pans out!" It was bumpy and hilly, but eventually led to a paved road. We made it back to the Autobahn without anymore issues!
A break at McDonald's was exactly what the kids needed, and we plugged them with burgers and fries to get through the final hours of the trip. We were all tired of being in the car by the time we arrived home, but we arrived safely and with some great memories.
The one souvenir I wanted to leave with was a miniature Brandenburg Gate for the kids (I bought one for myself as well). It represents both their trip to Berlin, but also their time in Germany. One day, we can tell them stories about how their PopPop, Grammy, and Pappy all lived in Berlin, and Mommy wanted to go to see those things. We can tell them that Germany wasn't always a happy place to be, but that the Gate represents unity and peace. Maybe when they're older, they'll make a trip back here to see the sights they don't remember seeing as children.
And maybe, one day, they will let their children come to Berlin.
It just might be turning into a family tradition.
Note: We stayed at the Radisson Blu Hotel and pretty much everything was within walking distance. Rates were affordable, rooms were large enough to fit my family of five (a rarity in many countries in Europe), and they had plenty of food options nearby for tired travelers. Staff were courteous and helpful. There are about six restaurants behind the hotel with various food options, but more affordable than in the actual hotel.
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