Travel
- Midweek
Dressed for the arctic conditions in my apartment, I went out this morning into temps getting close to 50°. Going in to a couple of warm stores made me feel even warmer. I actually saw a guy walking along in t-shirt and shorts! Sacramentans sometimes...
- Social Media Management Services
Travel Concept Solution NOW offers social media management services. Please become a fan and follow them on twitter if you have an interest. Up The Creek 2010, South Africa http://www.facebook.com/pages/wwwupthecreekcoza/210893287813?v=wall#/pages/wwwupthecreekcoza/210893287813?v=wall...
- A Visit To The Largest Chocolate Shop In The World
Our end of the year trip to Germany with airberlin not only brought us to East Berlin, the Berlin Wall and Tiergarten Park in Berlin, but also to Fassbender & Rausch, the largest chocolaterie in the world. Rausch is the company behind the...
- Brandenburg Gate And Tiergarten Park: A Photo Essay
After spending the morning strolling along the history rich streets of the former East Berlin and visiting the Berlin Wall, my husband and I insisted on making one more stop before our flight to Dusseldorf with airberlin. We strongly felt we could...
- Berlin On A Budget
Despite rapid gentrification, rising rents and an influx of big business into the once divided city, Europe's "capital of cool” is still a great place to take a bargain break. Historically rich, culturally vibrant and famous for its liberal attitudes,...
Travel
The Berlin Wall. A Moment to Ponder
The Berlin Wall was erected in 1961, and though the Eastern Bloc claimed that the wall was there to protect its population from fascist elements, in reality, the Wall was there to prevent people from the Eastern Bloc migrate to the West.
The 'Fraternal Kiss' between Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and his East German counterpart Erich Honecker is the most famous image on the Berlin Wall. We actually had to wait in line to take a photo of it. The painting reproduces a photograph taken in 1979 during the 30th anniversary celebration of the foundation of East Germany. The graffiti is titled 'My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love'.
The 1.3-kilometer (0.8-mile) section of unbroken length of wall is, well, not that unbroken or unbreakable anymore. Redeveloping plans led to the dismantling of parts of the historic structure. Earlier this year property developers wanted to tear down about 20 meters of wall in order to grand access to some luxury flats by the River Spree. And while 23 years ago people cheered the demolition of the wall, this time they protested against it.
The Berlin Wall is a symbol of the city's identity and a reminder of a sad and terrible past, of a time when the city was divided and a plea for this to never happen again.
On the other side of the wall, a photo exhibition about walls that separate people worldwide is just as impressive.
The Berlin Wall is one of the most popular attractions in the city and no visit to the German capital is complete without seeing it. It was a pity though that both when we arrived and when we left, our flight was scheduled after sunset and we were left wondering if the Berlin Wall can actually be spotted from the plane or not.
West Germans and citizens of other Western countries could generally visit East Germany after applying for a visa. But things were not as simple on the other side of the wall, and with very few exceptions, traveling to the West was impossible.
What shocks most is the wall's height - 3.6 m (12 ft). Every time I'm in front of it I need to remind myself that back during the communist regime, Berlin was divided by much more than just a not-all-that-high concrete wall.
Often called 'The Wall of Shame' or the 'Iron Curtain', the Berlin Wall was heavily guarded on the East side. Hundreds of people died trying to cross the wall, but the official numbers are simply too low to be easily believed. Life in East Berlin was harsh, and many risked their lives in a desperate attempt to escape it.
What shocks most is the wall's height - 3.6 m (12 ft). Every time I'm in front of it I need to remind myself that back during the communist regime, Berlin was divided by much more than just a not-all-that-high concrete wall.
In 1990 the Berlin Wall fall almost entirely. The largest part still standing is now covered in colorful graffiti carrying messages of peace. It is a symbol, and a reminder, and a venue for international artists.
The 'Fraternal Kiss' between Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and his East German counterpart Erich Honecker is the most famous image on the Berlin Wall. We actually had to wait in line to take a photo of it. The painting reproduces a photograph taken in 1979 during the 30th anniversary celebration of the foundation of East Germany. The graffiti is titled 'My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love'.
The 1.3-kilometer (0.8-mile) section of unbroken length of wall is, well, not that unbroken or unbreakable anymore. Redeveloping plans led to the dismantling of parts of the historic structure. Earlier this year property developers wanted to tear down about 20 meters of wall in order to grand access to some luxury flats by the River Spree. And while 23 years ago people cheered the demolition of the wall, this time they protested against it.
The Berlin Wall is a symbol of the city's identity and a reminder of a sad and terrible past, of a time when the city was divided and a plea for this to never happen again.
On the other side of the wall, a photo exhibition about walls that separate people worldwide is just as impressive.
The Berlin Wall is one of the most popular attractions in the city and no visit to the German capital is complete without seeing it. It was a pity though that both when we arrived and when we left, our flight was scheduled after sunset and we were left wondering if the Berlin Wall can actually be spotted from the plane or not.
Practical information:
Where to stay: We stayed at the charming Circus Hotel in East Berlin. The hotel is in walking distance from many restaurants and pubs that make for an uber fashionable neighborhood.
How to get there: Airberlin, a member of the oneworld alliance, flies to Berlin and Dusseldorf from several major US cities. Airberlin also connects Berlin with many European destination. Discounted rates are available this winter.
- Midweek
Dressed for the arctic conditions in my apartment, I went out this morning into temps getting close to 50°. Going in to a couple of warm stores made me feel even warmer. I actually saw a guy walking along in t-shirt and shorts! Sacramentans sometimes...
- Social Media Management Services
Travel Concept Solution NOW offers social media management services. Please become a fan and follow them on twitter if you have an interest. Up The Creek 2010, South Africa http://www.facebook.com/pages/wwwupthecreekcoza/210893287813?v=wall#/pages/wwwupthecreekcoza/210893287813?v=wall...
- A Visit To The Largest Chocolate Shop In The World
Our end of the year trip to Germany with airberlin not only brought us to East Berlin, the Berlin Wall and Tiergarten Park in Berlin, but also to Fassbender & Rausch, the largest chocolaterie in the world. Rausch is the company behind the...
- Brandenburg Gate And Tiergarten Park: A Photo Essay
After spending the morning strolling along the history rich streets of the former East Berlin and visiting the Berlin Wall, my husband and I insisted on making one more stop before our flight to Dusseldorf with airberlin. We strongly felt we could...
- Berlin On A Budget
Despite rapid gentrification, rising rents and an influx of big business into the once divided city, Europe's "capital of cool” is still a great place to take a bargain break. Historically rich, culturally vibrant and famous for its liberal attitudes,...