Berlin

Dec 30, 2010-Jan 3, 2011
AC872 YYZ-FRA, LH176 FRA-TXL, LH185 TXL-FRA, AC877 FRA-YYZ

End of year travel is an important tradition and a good way to kick off the New Year.  Although we have tried a number of different places over the years, we normally stick to warmer locations.  However, Tom had been wanting to go back to Berlin for a few years now and with some very cheap fares available from New York we decided to do a quick run to New York and then head out to Berlin for the New Year.  Unfortunately New York had a major snow storm shortly before our planned trip, so we cut that part of the journey out and went directly to Berlin.  Like much of Europe, Berlin had numerous Christmas markets and street festivals.  We arrived the morning of New Year's Eve and the festivities were setting up near the Brandenburg Gate.  They had closed off the main road leading to the gate, set up a stage and filled the road with rides and lots of booths selling German food, beer and hot mulled wine.  We went into the crowds early in the evening, but with our jet lag retired to the hotel before the party really got started.  However, Germans do like their fireworks and the explosive sounds of their celebrations bled into our hotel room until at least 4:00 am.  The remaining days we explored the city and noted the considerable changes since our last visit in 2003.  We headed back home Monday afternoon and back to work to start 2011 and kick off another year of interesting travels.   

Dec 30-31
Overnight flight to Berlin, day in the city

The Reichstag (German Parliament)

Memorial to (96) Politicians who opposed Hitler and were killed for it

Unter den Linden lit for the season on New Year’s eve

Although we didn’t make it to midnight, checked out pre-party at Brandenberg Gate

Jan 1
New Year’s day in Berlin

Potsdamer Platz

Checkpoint Charlie decked out for Christmas

The debris from the previous night’s street party

Very interesting and powerful Jewish Museum (designed by Daniel Libeskind)

The Axis of Exile garden outside the museum

One of the more conceptual areas of the museum called “Memory Void”

Close-up of the faces that make up the Memory Void

Jan 2
Our second full day in Berlin started at Egyptian Museum

National Gallery on Museum Island

Aquarium in the lobby of the SAS Radisson hotel

East European style cross walk signs

Soviet era clock in Alexanderplatz with Berlin Tower in background

East Side Gallery, 1.3 km remains of the Berlin Wall

Bridge over river Spree from the East Gallery

Some of the wall art

The German Cathedral

Reichstag and the dome from Panoramapunkt observatory

Memorial to Murdered Jews of Europe

Christmas Market at Zoo Station (one of the many we saw)

Tauentzienstrasse in western shopping are near Zoo Station

Kaiser Wilhlem Memorial church tower in midst of restoration

Tree in Potsdamer Platz Arkaden mall outside our hotel

Jan 3
Morning in Berlin and flight home to Toronto

Brandenburg Gate cleaned up from the party with Tiergarten behind

Walking through powerful Memorial to Murdered Jews of Europe

Some of the 2711 gravestone-like pillars built in 2005

Some of the towers of Potsdamer Platz

Sony Center in Potsdamer area

Jan 3
After a long layover in Frankfurt, flight home to Toronto