Berlin

I stayed 5 nights in Berlin, as did quite a few from the BusAbout bus (some stayed 3, but we caught up in Prague). Didn't really go out at night (too lazy, but also chilled and the hostel bar was really cool).

Did the free walking tour, had a really good guide and so covered all the major historical sights and got a good history review. I was in Berlin 8 years ago with Dad and Justin and so a lot of the sights were familiar, but a refresh was good. As always having been there before had the added benefit of reducing the pressure to go and see everything all at once. I went up the Reichstagg dome during the night this time, which was cool as you can see all the lights in all directions. Didn't do the TV tower since we had dinner in the revolving restaurant there 8 years ago. I was staying right near it though!


Me outside the Berliner dom; Brandenburg Gate; Reichstagg; remains of the Berlin wall

New since I was there was the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, which I think is a really fantastic memorial and the museum and information underneath is really well done - in fact it's pretty damn intense and after visiting it I really didn't want to do anything else for the rest of the day.



I didn't go to the Sachsauchen (sp) concentration camp (though a couple groups of BusAbout people did), as I'm really not ready for that experience. Instead I had a lighthearted day and visited the Berlin zoo, which I had done 8 years ago, but back then they didn't have the baby polar Knut!! (though he's grown up a fair bit!!). The zoo was pretty good - I have the same reservations as when I went last time which is that a lot of the big cats are kept for a while in indoor concrete cages which is rather cruel (they have outside small cages as well for some of the time) but it does mean that you get really up close and personal with the animals. The male lion wasn't roaring as he was when Jay and visited last (wow it was loud, I still remember it vividly) but there were baby leopards and a baby jaguar which were soooo cute.



Also did some shopping and just general wandering around, all-in-all there is still lots to see but I had a good time and felt like I'd had another good taste of Berlin, and probably have retained a little more history (travelling all over Europe helps as all the stories from different countries come together to form a general European story).