h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

What great strides this city has made since the wall came down – not that I visited whilst the wall was up but the changes are evident. Apart from the general rejuvenation post-Cold war there is currently a lot of work being done to tidy up and modernise in preparation for the 2006 Football World Cup as Berlin will host 4 matches including the final. Will leave my next visit until after then but there will be a next visit.

Spent the morning visiting touring what was East Berlin. Points of interest include Gendarmenmarkt, Check Point Charlie and the 3 remaining sections of The Wall.
Gendarmenmarkt is a beautiful Square with the German and French Cathedrals. The German Cathedral is modelled on St Peter’s in Rome and was at one time meant to be the centre of the Protestant world in the same way that The Vatican is the centre of the Roman Catholic world. Across the Square is Hackescher Markt – described in guide books as “ a sophisticated gastronomical culture and a first-rate nightlife district”. Must visit in the evening.
Checkpoint Charlie is now a tourist trap, strange to think it was once the gate between the American and Russian Sectors where captured spies were exchanged ( or is that just an illusion created by Le Carre ). The real thing has gone to be replaced by a replica complete with “American soldier” who will pose for photos so long as €1 changes hands.
The Wall – There were in fact 2 parallel walls enclosing East Berlin with “Strip of Death” between. Bloody ugly things and very imposing constructions they were too. One small section remains as the official Wall memorial at what was the Berlin Senate, and another 200m section remains at the site of the Gestapo HQ and is known as the Topography of Terror. Strangely the Topography of Terror is now protected from souvenir hunters by a metal fence– pieces of wall being collected using hammer and chisel that could be hired by the hour from locals. I had mistakenly thought that Germany tried to hide the Nazi atrocities from it’s youth but the documentation at this section of the wall put a lie to that. As does 2005 Holocaust Memorial which is an enormous expanse of stone blocks arranged in a maze effect – can’t really describe in words but the mere fact that it is there must mean something. The final and most imposing remaining section of The Wall is the East Side Gallery. This 2 km section is now adorned with friezes. Where the Wall has gone there is a permanent reminder of where it stood in the form of white paving blocks.

Over 200 people were killed in the “Strip of Death” trying to cross the Wall from East to West. Successful escape plans include windsurfing across the Baltic to Sweden and taking the innards out of your car seat, stuffing your girlfriend in the resulting void and simply driving her across the border. The ingenuity of man.

Passed the site of Hitler’s Bunker which is marked only by a huge Poplar Tree. No other markings lest the place becomes a shrine for Neo-Nazis. Was interested to hear that found amongst Hitler’s papers in the Bunker were communications with the Japanese which showed there was an agreement that after WW11 the German-Japanese Border would be along the line of The Urals.

Lunch was taken onboard a cruiser on The Spree whilst sailing through Old Berlin. The sun was shining so we ate on deck and a wonderful time was had by all.

Visited the English Sector and notably The Reichstag in the afternoon. The magnificent pre-War exterior has been recreated but with a very modern interior which is now home to the German Government. Compares very favourably with the decaying 60’s concrete edifice that was the seat of the East German Government. Sat on the rooftop terrace drinking champagne and admiring the views across Berlin before climbing the rooftop cupola with even more magnificent views. On to The Brandenburg Gate another must see. Not quite such a must see is the Hotel ( name forgotten) window across the Square from the Gate – infamous for being the window from which Michael Jackson dangled his baby son.

Last port of call was the Sony Centre ( entertainment rather than commercial use ) which is at the heart of a multi-billion € redevelopment of Potsdamer Platz, Berlins Commercial Centre which is sponsored by Daimler and Sony. Of particular interested is the louvre style roof which is open at the top but designed in such a way that rain doesn’t actually fall through the hole. Wasn’t raining so I can’t swear that this works. Clearly there is more modernisation to come.

There is tons to see in Berlin and must be worth at least a long weekend of anyone’s time.

Was still stuffed at dinner time so didn’t eat. Sampled my one and only onboard supper instead – a German sausage buffet. Very nice it was too.

A full day at sea tomorrow. Time to practise my shuffleboard skills – maybe this time I will be able to propel the damn puck, or whatever it’s called, past the start line !

Excellent, Polly. I have a friend in Berlin and the past two years I have visited him in the summer (not this year, but 2004 and 2003). I have been to many of the places you mention. I also went there in the bad old days before the wall came down and can confirm that the difference in quite amazing.

Cheers

Hope you are well. I am well. Not too happy about New ML, which seems very confusing. But I am delighted at the loss of posting numbers. Now everyone's equal. Those little barbed comments from certain oldie posters have lost their sting now that they haven't got huge numbers to hide behind.

Excellent Polly.

You are gallivanting about aren't you? While some of us are bound to our desks. Not fair!!! Do come back and grumble a bit, there's a good girl.

Martine,

I seem to have fooled you with the date on my posting - it's when it was written not when I visited Berlin. I am in fact back !

What do you want me to grumble about then ? Bloody Gas Board not filling in the hole they dug on my path to fix next door's pipes last week. Bloke at work who talks garbage all day long. Women who waste their lives shopping for shoes instead of learning to be astronauts.

Enjoy the holiday - come back soon ML needs you.

Polly

Hi Dagesh,

I'm well enough thanks.

Surely not !

There are things wrong with DNA but I also like the fact that I no longer need to read black on a mustard background.

I know a number of people have migrated to Peet's board but what bothers me about that is how do you stop it becoming one big clique. The BBC board attracts new posters because it is the natural place to look for an Archers messageboard but how will new members find there way to Peet's board.

Going to see if I can start a jokey thread now.

Take care,

Polly

Smiley or no smiley I am mortally offended by your quip about shoes, Polly. Too old to become an astronaut I fear, so will stick to my strengths, like shoes...

Just for you and just this once

Well I am honoured and well done for overcoming smileyphobia