Life is too Short to Learn German

My thoughts exactly!

A few weeks ago, I finally cashed in my Christmas gift from TJ and we made it to Berlin!  I have only been to Germany once before and it was a very long time ago!  1987 to be exact...I was practically a baby, hehehe!   I went on a business trip to Cologne with TJ and spent a few days getting lost on my own while he worked.  I remember being overwhelmed by my inability to understand anything in the German language.  The most lost I have ever been was in Cologne while wandering the streets alone.  I did not even know the name of my hotel, or the address...rookie mistake!  That was the day I learned to always carry a matchbook or business card from my hotel with me!  This was back in the dark ages before cell phones and a paper map was my only GPS.

In 1987, before the Berlin wall came down, it was much harder to find anyone who spoke English in a restaurant or shop.  The language barrier in addition to my novice traveler status on my lost day resulted in an unadventurous lunch of pizza because I could just point and nod to place my order.  I sat alone eating my pizza, calmed myself down and tried to figure out how to find my way back to my hotel.  The next day I went on a half day river cruise just to be in a safe place, see some of the countryside and not get lost!  I even found some other English speaking tourists on the boat which made my day.  With my hotel address in hand and a clear path back to my hotel I patted myself on the back for not getting lost that day!

Back in 1987 when I had 3 children, short hair and no clue!

My safe zone in Cologne for a few hours!

Fast forward 32.5 years and I am a much more experienced traveler who remains intimidated by the German language.  No worries though, we had our own personal German speaking guide in our son-in-law!  My daughter (the 4th child who wasn't even born in 1987) can also communicate in German now thanks to her recent German classes.  All I had to do was follow along!  No escape river cruise needed.  Berlin is a far cry from 1987 Cologne...about as far as I am from 1987 Lisa.

I was awed by the history in Berlin.  To think of everything that city has seen throughout history is daunting.  I only touched the surface during my visit and I was still overwhelmed.  The city has done a great job of acknowledging and preserving its past.  The day we arrived, while trying to stay awake until a proper bedtime, we put one foot in front of another and saw many of the city's highlights.  It may have been the only sunny day of our trip and in hindsight, which is 20/20,  we were so glad we powered through our jet lag!

Crossing the river to Museum island
enjoying the "sunshine"

Berlin Cathedral

Neue Wache
Central Memorial to the Federal Republic of Germany for
the Victims of War and Dictatorship
Sculpture of a mother and her dead son

Brandenberg Gate

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Inside the memorial

The Memorial to Murdered Jews of Europe was a fascinating sight.  Each block is a different size and set at a slightly different angle.  They go from the lowest to the highest in the center of the memorial.  A person could definitely get lost among them.  Another interesting aspect of the memorial is that if you look closely the surface seems to be crying which almost moved me to tears.  There seems to be so many interpretations of the memorial, in my mind, and I could not help but wonder exactly what the creator had in mind.

Tears

Berlin is also full of street art!  Walking the streets, which we did a lot of, is never boring!  At first, I was a bit put off by the "graffiti" but after a while I started to appreciate it.  I still am not a fan of the random unfocused spray painted words or lines but there really is some interesting and creative art on the walls of Berlin.  We walked along the East Side Gallery but were unable to fully enjoy it because it was pouring rain at the time.  I would have liked to visit it again in fair weather.  I think seeing the street art on what was the wall between east and west puts it all in perspective.

Berlin, between New York and Tokyo

Not our Airbnb....and not my favorite street art

This one is iconic!  

This takes commitment! 
A bright spot on a gray day.

It is everywhere.  This is Berlin.

Five days is not enough time to spend in Berlin.  Especially when you are cramming in all the visiting with your daughter and her husband for the past and next several months, dodging raindrops, trying to see the many historical sights, and eat at as many interesting and delicious restaurants as possible.  Maybe I will just have to go back one day.  I will say that as far as Christmas gifts go, this one is right there at the top!

Here are a few more of my favorite photos to close.

Aren't they adorable?!

One of many...prost!

Pigeon graffiti

Best and most unique lunch spot!
Rogacki

That is TJ outside....was it something we said?

We would have been drenched without it!

Finally.....all the food!
Auf Wiedersehen