Berlin Day 3

June 20, 2012

Woke up, had breakfast, packed up, put our suitcases in storage so we could return our room keys, and left. Today was colder so I packed longer pants to change into. And off we went.

We went to a museum called the Story Of Berlin.

We played the monster game while we waited because we got there before opening. 

We visited the Cold War bunker first. Our tour guide was from Brazil and spoke pretty good English once you got used to his accent.

The bunker was interesting. It was for 3,600 people which is nothing compared to Berlin's population of 3 and a half million at the time. The people had a hard time because they had to sit in the tiny beds all day. Also, there were no mirrors so people couldn't use them as weapons.

Next, we went to see the museum. It showed Berlin's history chronologically. I found the design the most interesting. To represent the city's rise and fall, starting from 1237 to the 1920s the floor gradually rises as we travel up throughout the museum. The 1920s was the high point and then came the lowest low. To travel through Hitler's regime and WWII, we had to go down three or four flights of stairs to demonstrate the rapid fall in the history. Whoever came up with this design was a genius.

 This was also a neat visual representation of Berlin's growth as a city. The four dates were 1237, 1648, 1919, and 1978. Each green outline showed Berlin's size.

Berlin was vey religiously tolerant at the beginning. Each of the columns for Christianity, Judaism, and Islam had drawers with things representing the parts of the religion. The middle of the room had the circle of tolerance or something like that.

Soldiers! 

Architecture.

I think the 1800s. And bow ties.

The '20s.

WWI

As you traveled down the stairs through Hitler's regime, the picture frames had more and more emigrated or missing.

A floor of books that were burned.

 Hitler's signature over time. At first, readable. In the end, not.

WWII and the remains.

Notices of people searching for loved ones.

Cool visual representation of the four sectors.

We learned about this!!

East vs. West.

Historic clothes shopping. 

I TOUCHED THE WALL!!

 Jukebox and limo.

I really enjoyed the museum because it had a nice balance of interactiveness and information. I like history and especially when I get to intereact with it. I would come back here again because there are things you miss the first time and maybe without a tour guide so I have more time to stop and read and absorb. 

Then, we got some break time. But it was raining. We went to get food but our group stopped in a gift shop because Madi wanted a sweat shirt. The others ended up buying stuff too. Emily was buying when everyone in our group left. I was buying an umbrella and Madi still had to pay. And then we were all alone and we went in the direction of everyone else and no one was there and it was cold and Madi's phone which should work didn't and we weren't sure where we were supposed to meet the group and I had sandals on and kept stepping in puddles and the map was confusing and it was scary. Madi ended up remembering that Shelbi wrote us a street and we knew we were supposed to go the U-Bahn station and Herr Milde said something about strawberries. And we asked a lady and we walked in the direction that she said and saw a strawberry stand so we went in the station but saw no one. We were hungry so we ate and waited. Finally, we saw one of the teachers so we were safe. Maid bought strawberries. Apparently, since there was a second group of Germans in our shop, our group thought that we would go with them if they left but that group left too and we weren't informed of the plan. So it was a big misunderstanding. Anyway, it was traumatic but we survived and we found the station by ourselves and now I can say I got lost in a big city and YOLO.

Ever since the second Berlin day, we say YOLO too much. It's annoying but it's too hard not to say it. YOLO!

So then we got on the U-Bahn and went to the Spree River. 

And my feet were really cold and I wanted to warm my feet. It was so weird because yesterday we were super hot and today we were freezing. (hehe. We're eating Madi's strawberries here.)

On the boat, I  got to sit down and dry my feet. And put on longer pants and socks. And let my shoes dry. And eat ice cream.

Boat tour.

:)

My beautiful daughters and I. Except the eldest. We don't have the eldest. We never can get a complete family picture. I love you, ducklings.

My daughters were a little too talkative during the trip. I had to yell at them to be quieter. They should've been like their littlest sister. She was glued to the window the whole time.

 The buildings were nice. There were speakers with history but it was hard to hear so I just warmed my feet, took pictures, and listened when Lisa told me something that she understood. 

We did see 7 or 8 white crosses that were for the people who died trying to cross the river between East and West.

I got a little bored.

Stalker picture of the president's house. I forget his name. I must google this before I post or else Lisa will get really annoyed because she keeps telling me and I keep forgetting... I googled it. It's Joachim Gauck. 

It was muddy. 

When we got back to the hostel, we got our suitcases so I put on my closed-toed shoes and put on new socks. I was actually glad I wore sandals because either way my feet would have gotten soaked and this way I had something warm and dry to change in to. Then, we got on the bus and went to the train station. 

GENITIV!!!! FISCHBOWL!!! Shelbi found this.

Waiting to leave Berlin.

Welcome. Good bye.

Then we got on the train. Which was super crowded and not as comfortable as the ride there because we had to sit on the first level and it was two rows of seats facing each other. But at least we got seats. A lot of people sat on the floor. I listened to music and slept. Then, I came home, ate, showered, and went to bed.