Brrrr-lin

After a weekend in the capital to see a live production of In the Heights with friends, let's go back to Germany! 

First stop in Berlin? Where else but a Christmas market, in a plaza near our hostel?

Courtney had currywurst for her birthday dinner; I had a pretzel sandwich with weisswurst, gouda, and mustard. 

Rick Steves helped make the flagship Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas store in Rothenburg ob der Tauber famous, so we had to go in the mini-satellite version, and not just because it was warm, but also that. 

Across the street, in the plaza where the World Clock (pictured) is located, we found another Christmas market. I'm counting it as two, anyhow.

One of its defining features was a giant Weihnachtspyramide (pictured). Scroll for more!  

We began our first full day in Berlin with a walking tour. Or rather, Starbucks, then a walking tour. I'm a huge fan of walking tours. Often they're 100% tip-based, and I've found the guides to be knowledgeable about both the iconic and the quirky. The Brandenburg Gate falls into the former category. Named for where the city gate that once stood on its site led, the center opening is wider than the rest to accommodate its sole users: the Prussian royal entourage. Up close, you can see patch after patch hiding the scars of war damage.

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (not the Holocaust Memorial - I was repeatedly impressed by how Germany, as a nation, owns its crimes and seeks to educate the public about them such that history never repeats itself) was an especially moving stop. There are 2,711 stone megaliths of varying sizes; theories abound, but interpretation is 100% in the eye of the beholder. 

Today, the site of the underground bunker where Hitler committed suicide is...a parking lot. 

I'm in East Berlin! Think I could escape on an air mattress or by "ziplining," like some of the cool stories we heard?

Only a few sections of the Berlin Wall remain, but there's a double row of bricks marking its path through the city. 

No, that's not Charlie. Checkpoint Charlie is so named for the third letter in the NATO phonetic alphabet and looked like every other checkpoint between the East and the West. Its claim to fame was as a daily faceoff between the US and the Soviets. 

After lunch (McDonald's - I really do think eating North American fast food has value once when abroad), we made our way to the Berlin Cathedral. 

And found Marty!

The Nativity scene, or lack thereof, was striking. A sign explained that the ox and ass represent creatures that bear the weight of the world, sometimes literally, on their shoulders, and, together with all creation, await a Savior.

#domeviews

Yeah, we went back. So sue me. 

Chelsea and I rode the Ferris wheel. Two words: 1) heated; 2) seats.

The pinnacle afforded a panoramic view of the market's layout, with a doughnut-shaped skating rink in the center. A skating rink! No, we didn't go skating. 

We elected to use our final full day in Berlin as a jumping off point for visiting the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Our walking tour guide said it's something every human should experience, and I wholeheartedly agree. Out of respect for those murdered there and their families, I took no photos. We opted for a guided tour so as to maximize our time onsite and better understand what we were seeing. In reality, it started in the Berlin train station, as we hopped aboard for the same journey, possibly on the same tracks, that 200,000 captives made, and not by choice. From the time we got off the train in Oranienburg, we were essentially exposed to the elements for the next 4-5 hours. I was so cold that my muscles were sore long afterward from spasming in bouts of shivering, but I tried hard to put my own discomfort in perspective and not complain. 

On a lighter note, once I learned about Berlin's United Buddy Bears, I was on a mission to find and photograph as many as I could. I made it to a dismal five of nearly 140+, but the one with the flags of all her favorite countries next to each other made Chelsea smile. 

Next (and last) stop: Frankfurt. Until next time, blessings!