We woke reasonably early and took the opportunity to catch up. So, I went first and introduced myself and explained who I was where I had been along with my positive traits and then Fred followed my template In response. You know what ? We actually remembered each other: although Fred only had a vague recollection. Still, a good start. I think her vagueness was more from reluctance than memory.

We are staying in a very large hotel complex and found this out when we decided to tread downstairs to breakfast. The whole of Berlin was down there !! Still, the German breads, meats and cheeses are worth waiting for. We struggled through a very nice and easy paced breakfast.

Perhaps to completely upgrade the edification process (well that’s why you read this blog isn’t ?), a short rundown on a few things about Berlin is necessary. First documented in the 13th century and situated at the crossing of two a couple of trade routes, Berlin became the capital of the area and for sometime was the third largest municipality in the world. After World War II and its subsequent occupation by the victorious countries, the city was divided; East Berlin was declared capital of East Germany (The German Democratic Republic - GDR) was surrounded by the Berlin Wall (1961–1989). It remains the political capital of Germany today and has about 4 million people. It is the centre of Government as well.

Back to today’s activities. Back in our room Fred noticed that our daughter was live streaming the Commonwealth Games male Open road race. It was in its closing stages. We could observe the whole of her family interacting with the drama unfolding as the cyclists vied for final positions. Young Noah and his Dad were quite animated and were pleased to see the Australian come home trumps. Piper was also “into it”. When the children became aware that we were watching, many exchanges between us occurred. It was good to see them all patriotically attired as well. This experience for all our grandchildren will be one that will live with them for a long time.

We had plotted our course which needed another underground trip to the Potsdamer Platz a few stops along from our station. It appears that Platz is the German word for a plaza, large expansive area. In Berlin, there are plenty of these and the streets are mostly 6 lanes wide. Yes, no typo here. It takes you 5 minutes to get across them. Obviously some side streets are much more narrower, but there does not appear to be many road traffic issues. 

Just out of the Potsdamer Platz Station, was our first taste of Berlin’s history. A Berlin Wall display. We come across more of this later, but we paused here, looked at the size of the panels and did some reading of how the wall operated. The wall separated the 2 Berlins from 1961 to 1989. It was a double wall setup with some 280 watchtowers (generally placed in the no man’s centre of the two walls), along the 160 kilometre length. Just down the Ebertstrabe, were a couple of other wall displays along with the Memorial to the murdered Jews. Initially, this park (Field of Stelae”), appears to be a mass of some 2700 different size cement blocks with tracks in between them. “What a waste of concrete”, was my initial thought. But once you walk through this undulating site and then visit the Underground Jewish Museum, you get to realise that the 6 million Jews that were slaughtered in World War II, a very unusual monument did do this farcical and embarrassing situation, some form of justice. To read about what happened to the Polish and Russian Jews, let alone the “cleansing” of those German minorities (homosexuals, “criminals”, Jews etc) is quite gut wrenching. In all, the displays we had read today and we were to see later, there is a plethora of information in the specific museums and displays set up throughout the city. The Germans want to let it all hang out. No cover up here or propaganda. Just heaps of information that appears to be recounts of what had actually occurred.

This area we were currently in, has many war aspects. Perhaps the most impressive being the Brandenburg Gates. Used as a national symbol of the reunification and unity of all Germans these gates are a massive structure just up the road from the National Parliament, the Reichstag. Another large and ornate structure. It was here that we sat and ate the National dish, a bratwurst roll and reflected on the atrocities of the National Socialists and the Adolf Hitler regime. Given this history, one would think that what had occurred would be a national embarrassment. The Germans do a great job of elaborating this and presentation of the facts. This is what brings so many people to Berlin, I guess.

From the gates, we were heading for the Topographie Des Terror and Checkpoint Charlie. On our way, it started to rain. But not long into our walk, we came across a protest march about some redevelopment of parts of the city. It was large. Fred encouraged me to participate: reluctantly, I joined in and walked down the Leipitzer Strabe chanting, “what do we want, ...when do we want it, ....now !!”. I think this is what the Germans that were whistling, drumming, chanting were saying. Fred was talking to a local policeman, who seemed to enjoy my intrusion into the protest march and asked whether she would like me arrested. She resisted this temptation, this time.

Onto the Berlin Wall display and sighting in the “Wilhelmstrabe” area. This area also housed the Nazi Operational buildings responsible for the planning of the war’s atrocities. Many of these buildings were bombed and so eventually they were demolished. Now a rather expansive memorial area next to the wall remains, exists. This large section of the Berlin Wall had been preserved by the Government. This sectional monument here as well as there are other remnants elsewhere. This is a rather impressive monument and information area at the Topograghie Des Terrors. 

It was here that the rain had stopped and then allowed us a “dry walk” down to nearby “Checkpoint Charlie” on the Friedrichstrabe. This is the USA point which designated the western side as opposed to the eastern side of the divided city during the cold war periods, subsequent to World War II. 

It was here that another street protest was unfolding. My presence was not required here, everything seemed to be under control and no guidance needed. So after offering my approval from the footpath we moved on. From here we were to catch the Underground to another station, the Schwartzkopffstrabe, to seek out the Invalid Cemetery. This cemetery does possess a few characteristics which distinguish itself from a typical one. Firstly, it contains military personnel that had some connection with the Infirmary across the road. Some senior personnel from the Nazi period are buried here as well. Another feature is that the Berlin Wall runs through the centre of it. Just up the road, one of the few towers (Gedenkstaffe Gunter Lifkin), from the wall era, is also preserved and open for inspection. It was closed when we were there however. This area is also on one of the canal streets which divert from the River Spree: how’s this for a place name, the “Schifffahrtskanal” ? Now try saying that after a couple of glasses of your favourite hydration liquid on a Saturday night. Just living in this area would inflate your cost of living, as you would need to have a new pen, each time you wrote your address.

Back to the Underground and then onto the Hackescher Markt. This area is an up market area which has a many stalls not only selling food and clothing, but also has some fashionable restaurants lurking to capture clientele. We walked on to the banks of the Spree River and sat in some deck chairs and forced ourselves to devour a Warthauser beer from one of the many beer carousels set up nearby. The beer was served via “chair service”. This was an idyllic spot and we shared this experience with many Berliners who were copying our little self indulgence. It was sorta sunny, albeit late-ish in the afternoon. Still, in the interest of International diplomacy, we didn’t make a fuss. The bier (that’s the German spelling), cleansed our palate adequately and the background busking music contributed to a few well invested minutes in the art of relaxation. 

Fred discovered that we were not too far from home and if we were to walk this way, no .......walk this way, .........then we could continue our riverside observation of the River Spree and the many tourist boats chugging along it and also end up near home. Yes, “good idea”, I replied intelligently: Fred was seated so she didn’t have far to fall after experiencing such profoundness. Besides, the downward impact was softened by the mushy grass just to her right. So, I took the opportunity to provide her with an uplifting experience so she could regain normal posture and composure. I told her this as well to which she just smiled and shook her head. I think she was lost for words: I can’t put her lack of response down to anything else. 

We walked past the rather impressive Berliner Dom and some adjacent museum buildings just across the river. Further down passing the Karl Marx and Engels forum area, subsequently stopping at the Ephraim’s Restaurant for dinner. A nice 2016 Riesling from down near Mainz, the Rheingau region. For those drunks amongst you, the wine was a Schumann Nagler wine. It was one of the better ones we have tasted for a while, anywhere. Fred even tasted the orange overtones mentioned in the wine précis from which we selected the wine. Sauerkraut for me with the pommes (potato) and mixed German sausages, while Fred had a German style beef dish with the obligatory red cabbage. “Wunderbar”.

Close to home now with a short walk along the river, passing one of the many locks on this river (after watching one of the river vessels pass through it), and then into our hotel. A great day spent riding the intricate but efficient Berlin underground and walking the magnificent Strabes. A day well spent. As normal, given the time difference with the east coast of Australia, we catch up with any news from ”Oz” and tune into the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) news. Currently, the chemical warfare in Syria and the USA led coalition’s response is a major worry for us all. We go to bed hoping that all is well and that cool heads prevail. At other times of the day, we are also able to receive broadcasts of the National Rugby League. We don’t necessarily sit and listen to these for a great deal of time, as generally we are on the move.

Time for a competition I hear, well try the following for size:

1. Why did the Germans pinch the name for potatoes (“pommes”) from what we Aussies call the British ?

2. Who is the worst brat you know ? For those Germans amongst you, who is the “bratwurst”?

3. What is the most common “number” used in the German language ?

4. Name the current Vice Chancellor of Germany. What do you think her chauffeur’s name would be ?

5. What type of car do you think that the Vice Chancellor would drive ?

Again, just hit the “add comment” button at the bottom of the page to answer some or all of these rather searching questions. The declared winner, who will probably be family, has the honour of receiving a souvenir Berlin Underground ticket. To add to the prize’s worth, the ticket will be date stamped so as to attest its authenticity.