As Bowie said “The greatest cultural extravaganza that one could imagine”

For the ones that know about music or a little about David Bowie I’m talking about Berlin. The city has a long history starting with the Kingdom of Prussia and more recent Capital of Germany, but in the trajectory was involved in the German Empire, the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, and even separated by the infamy and notorious Wall.

Classic Traffic Light

I spent 6 glorious days, and the city has it all. Parks, restaurants, monuments, museums, and even a mental nightlife. I’ve been looking forward to this trip in a long long time, many anecdotes of friends telling me a brilliant experience and unique place, the one that comes to mind (don’t know why) it’s an awesome party in a sewer.

Kunsthaus Tacheles a former SS central office, Nazi Prison, now an Art Centre

Not to be missed, Brandenburger Tor, Berliner Dom, Rotes Rathaus, Reichstag (you have to send an email to get access to the dome, the panoramic view and the Norman Foster design is worth the time and hassle), a stroll in Tiergarten, walk in the bank of the Spree, the impressive Neue Synagoge, Museum Island specially the Pergamon Museum to admire the Ishtar Gate of Babylon and the Pergamon Altar, a picture with the Turkish looking US soldiers in Checkpoint Charlie, Hamburger Bahnhof to  contemplate the imposing Warhol’s Mao Zedong portrait, and of course the Wall while listen Pink Floyd homonymous album.

Brandenburger Tor

Riechstag, Norman you're a genius

There are a few places to see some of the rest of the Berlin Wall after the wall peckers did their job, such as Potsdamer Platz, in Mitte near the Topography of Terrors site of the Gestapo, the most colourful is the East Side Gallery which is full with street art, and finally the shocking one is the Berlin Wall Memorial, where you can see the full layout with the death strip and a watch tower on Bernauer Street.

Pink Floyd's Street Art on the East Side Gallery

If you like street food, Berlin is a paradise, don’t forget to try the Berlin speciality Currywurst, and also a doner kebab which was invented there. Also a good repertoire of fine dining places, beer gardens, unique night clubs, and even a container ship transformed into a swimming pool along the Spree.

Currywurst from Curry 36

And don’t forget to take your picture at any of the Photoautomat.

I didn't

Berlin! Berlin! Wir fahren nach Berlin!

When I thought about Berlin before what came to mind was the Seinfeld episode “The Virgin”.

Marla: So, how was your trip to Berlin?

Jerry: Trip to Berlin?

Marla: Remember? That's why you put off doing the closets. You said you were going to Berlin for a while.

Jerry: Oh, right, right.

Marla: The wall had just come down, and you told me you wanted to be part of the celebration.

Jerry: Yes, yes, I did. But, you know, I was watching it on CNN, and they covered it so well I thought, "Why knock my brains out?"

Marla: You, know my boyfriend went.

Jerry: Really?

Marla: Yes, I told him all about you going and he got all excited and decided to go.

Jerry: Oh, did he like it?

Marla: I don't know. He never came back


Berlin
Germany

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