Day 5: Why are we in Berlin?

It was another early wake-up, but that’s what happens when you go to sleep at 840pm.  We had breakfast at 7am and I now remember how much I miss German breakfast. The Grand Hyatt breakfast buffet was impressive!  I ate as if it was my only meal of the day! 

We have a long list of places to visit today but if the weather is hot like yesterday it will become much shorter.  Most of the places are new to us so I was excited.  We are still debating who picked Berlin for a stop but at least there is a lot to do.  So it has become a common theme when we are tired or hot to mention, "Why are we in Berlin?" and the other person says "YOU picked it" which ends up being a back and forth and we laugh.  It is Sunday so everything non-touristy is closed.  It was nice morning walk outside as we passed the Brandenburg Gate . . .

Our first stop is to the Reichstag, the German legislative building which was under construction. 

Last time we were in Berlin (2010), we did an official tour inside the actual Reichstag which was fabulous.  It required a lot of preplanning and sending information for a security clearance.  This visit was simple to get since I booked a couple months in advance.  It was just access to the dome which was all we really wanted anyway.  The weather was perfect for a view of the city.  I did not know we would be the first group to the top so that was fun and not crowded!

We walked back by the Brandenburg Gate which is now packed with tourist!

It was as if the horse on the end was looking at me . . .

A walk by the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe . . .

Passed by Hitler's Führerbunker which is now just a parking lot for a high rise building of apartments with a sign. 

On to Checkpoint Charlie . . . 

Berlin Wall Monument site is home to the final section of the Berlin Wall with the preserved grounds behind it.

  
The colorful paintings are long gone but just the thought of life separated by a wall from East to West is unimaginable.  We had walked a lot and that hearty German breakfast wore off.  We found a quaint Italian café with outdoor seating which was nice.  And of course we had to have eis on the way back to the hotel too!  I ordered my favorite.  One kugel (scoop) haselnuss (hazelnut) and one kugel schokolade (chocolate) with sahne (cream). 

Yuuummmm, just melt in your mouth good.  We headed back to the hotel to relax.  I went swimming.  Colin went to the gym to workout.

Colin was starving so off we went.  I was not hungry and he just wanted something easy so across the street was a Five Guys. When we are on vacation I am a no American chain restaurant eating person but since I wasn’t eating I was okay with him eating there.  What I wasn’t expecting was the cost!  For a burger, fries, and soda it was 21€; that’s about $23!  Neither of us has ever eaten at Five Guys so we aren’t sure if this is normal?  I was shocked as that is not much less than our lunch meal for two people!  Back to the hotel to pack for another change of countries!

I love the pedestrian crossing signs with Ampelmännchen which literally translates to traffic light man.

 

steps:  14,910 

miles:   6.94