Europe Honeymoon 2008

Well my day began at 5:50 when Stu's phone buzzed. So of course I was instantly awake. And it was bright and sunny outside so I was all "let's go!!". Heh. So were out the door pretty early.

Wandered along the site of the Berlin wall at Bernauer Strasse and even got to see a chunk of it they've left up. But didn't get to go up the viewing platform as the building it was attached to didn't open until 10am.

Photo of the Reconciliation Church, that was sealed off in No Man's Land
until 1985 

Sadly the Church was demolished in 1985, just four
years before the wall came down :( 

Stu standing by one of the last remnants of the Berlin Wall at Bernauer Strasse

Hopped on a train into the city and when we came out saw the Brandenburg Gate!  

Brandenburg Gate! 

Brandenburg Gate 

Closeup of the chariot on the Brandenburg Gate

So took a bunch of photos of that, then went around to the Reichstag. It was about a 30 minute wait to get in, even at 9:00. They had their metal detectors turned up to full sensitivity, so the whole process of getting through security took forever because they had to hand-wand most everyone (somehow my belt buckle didn't set it off so I didn't get frisked heh). The info they had around the base of the dome was interesting. Came across a few rude Germans though that blocked the info boards. I was tempted to take photos of their behaviour because they showed no consideration whatsoever for anyone else, even when I was making it blatantly obvious that I couldn't see because of them. Bumheads. Then we wound our way up the dome, which is pretty impressive, but not really good for taking photos from.

Walking up to the Reichstag 

Entrance to the Reichstag 

Brandenburg Gate from the top of the Reichstag 

Glass dome on top of the Reichstag 

These mirrors reflect light into the interior of the building 

Double helix for getting to the top of the dome 

Glass panels in the roof of the building 

I can't help it, they were very photogenic 

The very top of the dome

After we came back down we meandered west through the Tiergarten, which was a very pleasant walk. Ended up at the Victory Column - another thing to climb! Altho this cost 2.50 each to do so. Back down again and a much more frustrating walk through the Tiergarten trying to find something Stu remembered from last time he was here. So we both ended up tired and frustrated, me more so. Took a while to get going again, after being in the Tiergarten for four hours :/

When we came out, the queue was well over an hour long 

Carillon in the Tiergarten 

The Berlin-Tiergarten 

The Victory Column

View back to the Reichstag, Fernsehturm and Brandenburg Gate from
the Victory Column 

Can you tell Stu was really excited about being dragged up another tower? :) 

The Berlin-Tiergarten

Took a train to where Stu stayed last time he was here, then had a look at the Kaiser-Wilhelm Memorial Church. The souvenir vendors are really out in force there!  Bought myself a post card that may or may not have a piece of the Berlin wall included heh.

We were amused by this "Erotik Museum" 

The Kaiser-Wilhelm Memorial Church 

They're restoring the mosaics on the interior of the church 

The Kaiser-Wilhelm Memorial Church

Then hopped on a bus to have a look at the Schloss Charlottenburg, the biggest palace in Berlin. Just walked around it, didn't go in. Then bussed it back again.

Schloss Charlottenburg 

Schloss Charlottenburg

Was getting late in the afternoon, so better lighting for the Victory Column and the Reichstag, and the back of the Brandenburg Gate.

The Victory Column 

Top of the Victory Column 

The Reichstag in the afternoon sun 

Brandenburg Gate - from the western side 

Fernsehturm through the Brandenburg Gate 

Dave-stalking continues with one of the "Bears of Berlin" (I never saw
the one he photographed)

Then headed for home. Very much exhausted. Didn't even get dinner. Just had the remains of last night's dinner.

Not sure how we're going to be able to deal with tomorrow...