Friday, May 02, 2008
Scandahoovian Adventure ;-)
April 30, 2008
We arrived in Berlin yesterday at 6:00 p.m. and found our hostel without too much trouble, even though we had to take the S-bahn (regional train) and the U2 red line (metro system). The brief feeling of confusion is a common one at almost every getting-off point. Our place, Alcatraz, is in the Prenzlauen Berg, a section in the former East Berlin. Things a bit seedy looking at first, but the energy level is out of sight, and Bohemian like. So many young people, and actually walked a few blocks before we saw another couple that appeared to be our age. Checked in, dumped the bags and hit the streets.
Good restaurant--potatoe-leek soup for me with brochen and noodles and meat for Alan. Same price as in Brookings, SD. including the beer.
Slept good. Out to Alexander Platz by 10:30 a.m. Took the tram to Hackescher Markt and met up with a dude from New Zealand who will be conducting our biking tour when we return in a few days. We went to Ku-dam to the Europa Center to see if the water clock is still operating--and it is. Saw the huge fountain where Cassi waded around in 1985. Street break dancers, musicians, hawkers still a great show.
We re-visited the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church--the one bombed out on November 22, 1943, within a few days of Lynn's birthday. Found out the glass used in the restoration was produced in the glassworks of Chartres Cathedral south of Paris--our favorite cathedral.
Later we walked to Branderburger Gate, and still marvel that in our lifetime, we can actually casually walk to either of the former "sides." Into Potsdammer Platz, typical of all parts of Berlin--old blackened buildings, fabulous new glass and metal skyscrapers, and construction cranes by the dozens.
May 1. Caught the 7:18 a.m. to Copenhagen. Crowded. Germany has a 3-day weekend.
that has extended all the way to Sweden. Goteburg by namen. btw, this is a clean, beautiful city and far better than Copenhagen which was underwhelming.
We arrived in Berlin yesterday at 6:00 p.m. and found our hostel without too much trouble, even though we had to take the S-bahn (regional train) and the U2 red line (metro system). The brief feeling of confusion is a common one at almost every getting-off point. Our place, Alcatraz, is in the Prenzlauen Berg, a section in the former East Berlin. Things a bit seedy looking at first, but the energy level is out of sight, and Bohemian like. So many young people, and actually walked a few blocks before we saw another couple that appeared to be our age. Checked in, dumped the bags and hit the streets.
Good restaurant--potatoe-leek soup for me with brochen and noodles and meat for Alan. Same price as in Brookings, SD. including the beer.
Slept good. Out to Alexander Platz by 10:30 a.m. Took the tram to Hackescher Markt and met up with a dude from New Zealand who will be conducting our biking tour when we return in a few days. We went to Ku-dam to the Europa Center to see if the water clock is still operating--and it is. Saw the huge fountain where Cassi waded around in 1985. Street break dancers, musicians, hawkers still a great show.
We re-visited the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church--the one bombed out on November 22, 1943, within a few days of Lynn's birthday. Found out the glass used in the restoration was produced in the glassworks of Chartres Cathedral south of Paris--our favorite cathedral.
Later we walked to Branderburger Gate, and still marvel that in our lifetime, we can actually casually walk to either of the former "sides." Into Potsdammer Platz, typical of all parts of Berlin--old blackened buildings, fabulous new glass and metal skyscrapers, and construction cranes by the dozens.
May 1. Caught the 7:18 a.m. to Copenhagen. Crowded. Germany has a 3-day weekend.
that has extended all the way to Sweden. Goteburg by namen. btw, this is a clean, beautiful city and far better than Copenhagen which was underwhelming.
