Berlin

After a 3-hour train delay (there was a rail accident ahead of us), we arrived in Berlin and Uber’d our way to our Hotel Astrid. This hotel was built in 1904 and has not been modernized much since then. We stepped back in time to marvel at the sculpted stair banisters, the brass chandeliers, the art nouveau doors and 13-foot high ceilings. Supper (around the corner) and a night cap were all we needed to finish the day.

The next morning, we met our tour guide, Oren, and enjoyed the 3-hour Third Reich Walking Tour that covered Berlin’s story from 1933-1945. We saw the major locations around the city where history happened during Hitler’s rise to power. We learned about the many people involved in the story and visited important monuments. Educational, evocative and emotional. We had the added benefit of having Ryan along to clarify our misunderstandings and fill in the gaps to the story.

After the tour, we walked (in the rain) to Museum Island to visit the National Gallery. Along with all the familiar masters, we also saw a touring exhibit of Gustav Klimt. His stunning “Judith” was the centerpiece and it is exquisite. Leaving the gallery, we stepped next door into the magnificent Berlin Cathedral to marvel at this baroque beauty. The sun was shining.

An authentic German supper finished our visit to this previously mostly destroyed and now very modern city.

Here are the photo highlights of Berlin.