My first time in mainland Europe was in 2008. A series of trials and tribulations made that journey difficult but this time I come to Germany armed with a lot more wisdom and travel experience. Touching down in Frankfurt a few days ago I tried to hitchhike to Cologne (Köln) to meet up with my friends Shannon and Rob, who hosted me in Wellington in '14. Shannon would tell me about one of the world's great travel bargains, and that's the Deutschland ticket. For €49 it allows unlimited travel for an entire month within Germany on all but the fastest trains. It also allows for unlimited travel on local transport within cities. However, it is only valid within a calendar month: since I purchased the Deutschland ticket on 17 May, it's only valid until 31 May. It pays off quickly though as a single ticket from Frankfurt to Cologne would cost €33. On the flip side, it means travel times can be long: Dusseldorf to Berlin yesterday took eight hours!
My friend Brian recently moved to Germany to live with his girlfriend, Ania, who is from Poland. We met at Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Berlin Central Station) and then the first place we visited was Brandenburg Gate.
Built in 1791 on the order of the King of Prussia, the Brandenburg Gate is perhaps the best known symbol of Germany as it's featured on the German euro coins. It was in front of the gate where Ronald Reagan gave a famous speech when he said "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
After all the travel I did I wasn't up for more exploring so we got something to eat, a bottle of wine, and made a B-line for Brian and Ania's pad in East Berlin. The architecture of East Berlin is undecidedly Soviet-esque.
Well-rested, Brian, Ania, and myself would do a lot of exploring today, and we first walked from Friedrichshain to Alexanderplatz. Checkpoint Charlie was at the top of our list. Although these days it's a major tourist trap, it was a very serious place back in the day. Crossing from East Berlin to West Berlin would result in being shot at on the spot, but still, those living in East Berlin did absolutely everything in their power to get to West Berlin. One of the most ingenious ways was driving underneath the barrier with a convertible with a windscreen that they could fold down. Others dug tunnels, floated over on hot air balloons, or travelled through the sewers.
In this photo, Brian is standing in West Berlin whilst I'm in East Berlin. It's surreal that there's a McDonald's and a KFC when there's a picture with a giant tank right next to the checkpoint. On the next block is one of the most preserved sections of the Berlin Wall.
In other areas where the Wall is still standing, it is covered in graffiti or artwork. Most of the Wall is gone but there's a marker in places that it once stood.
The Berlin Wall was constructed in 1961 to prevent East Germans from going to the West and, due to a misinterpretation of an announcement by Gunter Schabowski, the Wall came down on 9 November 1989. Germans from both sides of the Wall celebrated and smashed the Wall to bits. Pieces of the Wall along with East German marks and other souvenirs are at stands all over the area.
Of course I can't be anywhere without geocaching (if there are some around), and there are thousands of caches dotted around Berlin. After collecting a few caches we next went to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, better known as the Holocaust Memorial.
A series of 2,711 stelae are all level in a sloping field, which means they're varying heights as you're walking through the narrow passages. Unfortunately, some people like to act disrespectful and jump between the stelae. Six million Jew were murdered during the Holocaust and it amazes me that there are people who think it never happened. There have also been numerous incidents of tourists taking smiling selfies here and at other notable Holocaust sites such as Auschwitz.
Brian and I have had quite a few adventures together. In '13 we did a road trip from San Antonio to LA and then we spent my birthday in Seattle with his then-girlfriend Breanna. On that trip we did an overnight trip to Vancouver and then Breanna's father took us on a tour of Microsoft headquarters. Here we are now in Berlin, living life large. With sore feet after a lot of walking, we called in at a typical German restaurant for sausages, pretzels, and drinks. German food is blander than some other cuisines but is by no means terrible. Potatoes, sauerkraut, etc. feature prominently in many dishes, and German bakeries are, more often than not, excellent. I wasn't ready to be a German and have a beer, so I had wine. Upon returning home, I was still restless and I went for another walk. When I'm not exploring with Brian and Ania, I'll have a lot of time and things to explore on my own. A stroll through East Berlin feels so historical. Early on I've picked up a crafty way to make extra money: there are recycling centres in every supermarket, and you get anywhere from 10 to 25 cents for every returned can or bottle, so I carry a bag with me when I go out and pick up any containers that I find. Germany is a drinker's paradise; it's possible to buy alcohol and drink absolutely anywhere. It's a public holiday today and all the supermarkets are closed, so I had to pay a premium at a convenience store to buy some wine.
Berlin is a wonderful city, and I'll be tackling the streets again by foot tomorrow. Brian, it's time to get out the 151 (inside joke).
