Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Meetings in Berlin (Day 1)

I'm in Berlin for work this week.  It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it!  I got in yesterday and discovered that my hotel (which was booked by my colleague) is located right in the heart of the old historical center.  That meant I could go on an evening walk after dinner and hit many of the key sights in this part of town. 

Strange to think that last time I was here, I was 23 and it was freezing cold in February.  So much has changed!  So much is still the same.

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Brandenburg Gate
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Soviet prestige tower
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Tons of construction everywhere
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There are brightly colored tubes everywhere.  The cabbie explained that they're meant to
pump water out of the construction sites for a new subway line.  They look like art.
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This is what happens when I need a snack
but can't find a Belgian waffle shop.
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Reichstag
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Super ornate church
 
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So the Kaiser had a palace in the olden days across the street from the crazy ornate church.
Then WWII and the Cold War, and the palace was replaced by a hideous glass
Soviet building that made everyone want to poke their eyeballs out (at least, that's how
I felt when I saw it in 2003).  Then 1989 and no more Wall, and now they've
 torn town the Soviet monstrosity and are replacing it with a new palace.
Yay!

1 comment:

Lady said...

I visited those places when I was there (not Dunkin Donuts!), but "the Wall was still there and there was NO construction going on.