Schloss Charlottenburg

Unfortunately the final day of our Berlin trip had arrived.

The good news though was that it wasn’t raining for a change.

After having our last German breakfast of cold meats and cheese it was off to make the most of our last remaining hours in the German capital.

Our first stop of the day was Schloss Charlottenburg in the west of the city.

The road leading to the palace from Sophie-Charlotte-Platz is very scenic with distinguished houses built on each side.

Schloss Charlottenburg

Halfway up this avenue a small dog, I think it was a chihuahua, tried to pick a fight with a German Wolfhound.

Even though the canines did not come to pawicuffs, the smaller one successfully chased the giant wolfhound away.

Charlottenburg Palace is a charming building and I managed to get a few photos.

Behind the palace is a large park with lakes and smaller outbuildings of the palace. It was a very relaxing place to visit and seemed popular with not only tourists but locals too. Obviously construction work was taking place here too.

Berlin Zoo

It was then back to the hotel to check out. With our bags left in the locked luggage room, we then made our way to Berlin Zoo.

The zoo which opened in the 19th Century, is said to be one of the most diverse in the world with approximately 1500 differing species living there.

Among the notable guests is the famous polar bear called Knut and Bao Bao a giant panda.

We still had a little bit of spare time after finishing in the zoo so we walked down to KaDeWe, adepartment store that is the equivalent to Harrods.

Berlin Zoo

We made our way to the 6th floor to view the legendary food hall. They sell a selection of everything including German sausages, cheeses, chocolates, beer, spirits and a lot more we didn’t get to see.

I probably don’t have to tell you what item of food my girlfriend decided to buy.

As I write this we are waiting for a taxi to take us back to the airport. I thoroughly enjoyed Berlin and the surrounding area.

I would certainly agree with the claim it’s one of the best cities in Europe.

To view my photos from day eight of my Berlin trip visit my Flickr photostream.

Gate at Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum

Pit-pat, pit-pat, pit-pat.

This was the noise that we awoke to this morning. Rain, rain and more rain striking our hotel window.

Perhaps it was a sign of the sombre day to come, a visit to the Memorial and Museum of Sachsenhausen. A former concentration camp.

Once we met our tour guide at Zoo Station we made our way to the town of Oranienburg, just to the north of Berlin.

I have never been apprehensive about visiting a museum before today.

Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum

Sachsenhausen was one of the first concentration camps that was set up in 1936 by the Nazis.

Just nine years later, over 200,000 people had been imprisoned here and around 100,000 brutally murdered.

I had a horrible feeling when we passed through the gates with a sign reading ‘Arbeit Macht Frei‘ which translates as ‘work sets you free’.

The most chilling section of the memorial was Station Z. It was absolutely horrific to think of the innocent souls murdered within it’s walls.

Unfortunately once Germany was liberated the horror here did not end there. Instead the Soviets took over the camp in order to deal with anyone who didn’t fit into their regime.

Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum

It’s hard to put into words how I felt about this visit to Sachsenhausen, but maybe it was best summed up by the some words spoken by our tour guide.

In essence she said that humans are capable of so much evil, and it may take museums such as this to educate people into not repeating history’s mistakes.

After a delayed trip back into Berlin, it was off to the Reichstag Park to get some pictures of the German Government building.

After a short walk through Tiergarten, Berlin’s equivalent to New York’s Central Park we found ourselves next to the Soviet War Memorial.

Soviet War Memorial

This memorial is flanked on two sides by two tanks.

We then made our way to Porsdamer Platz which is one of Berlin’s largest developments since the fall of the Iron Curtain.

It was here in one of the bars that I got to procure my first litre glass of beer (2.1 pints).

If that wasn’t enough, I then also opted for a 3.5 litre stein after the first was finished.

With the beer safely stowed away inside me, we left Potsdamer Platz and got on the S-Bahn to Brandenberger Tor.

Brandenburg Gate

I had been waiting to get some photos of the Brandenburg Gate at night and this was my chance.

Luckily for me and my camera, the gate was lit up in a neon pink colour, it allowed me to get some good photos on an exposure of 30 seconds.

Since it was our last night in Berlin, we opted to walk back to the hotel via Victory Column. It was interesting to see the German Capital functioning after dark.

We have most of tomorrow to spend in the city before we head back to Swansea.

To view more pictures from day seven of my Berlin trip visit my Flickr photostream.

Stasi Museum

It was a rainy day in Berlin but we decided not to let the weather get the best of us. So we went out to see some of Berlin’s indoor attractions.

In the morning we would try and find out what life was like for East Germans while in the afternoon we would delve into something a little older.

After we saw the small Stasi exhibition a few days ago, we decided to take Lonely Planet’s advice and visit the main Stasi Museum on the eastern side of the city. The travel publication had it third on its list of things to see in Germany.

As most of Berlin seems to be under refurbishment we should have predicted that this museum would be too. However all was not lost because it had moved to a temporary home opposite.

Watering Can Camera

The Stasi or former East German Ministry for State Security were determined to control and manipulate their own people and stop them escaping to the west. So the Stasi, complete with it’s 91,000 employees and 189’000 unofficial employees gathered information on suspects using James Bond style technology.

Cameras and recorders were hidden in such things as watering cans, bird boxes, tree trunks, ties, handbags and pens amongst others. Also body odour was collected from ‘suspects’ groins so specially trained dogs could track them.

Back into Mitte, it was then onto the DDR Museum. This interactive exhibition tells the story of everyday life in East Germany. It turns out East German children were put through group potty training and the government dictated fashion trends and music. We also read that specialist engineers and shop assistants earned approximately the same amount of money.

DDR Museum

My most embarrassing moment of the holiday took place here. I wanted to pose for a photo in a DDR Volvo that was part of the exhibition. But as I went to sit down I missed the seat and ended up on the floor. Ouch!

With my buttocks still slightly aching, it was off to get some lunch. We found a place called Allgretto next to the River Spree and opposite Berliner Dom. I opted for a German pork sausage with beer and gravy sauce, while in a shock move the other half went for a currywurst.

After this feast it was over to Museumsinsel to visit Pergamonmuseum. We queued in the rain for about 30 minutes to gain entry. We opted to buy the ticket for the permanent exhibition only.

Pergamon Alter

The highlight and main purpose of our visit was to see the Pergamon Alter. This giant structure is made from marble and has steep stairs leading to it’s entrance. I have seen ancient ruins before in Cyprus, but it was quite striking to see a monumental landmark such as this reassembled within a building.

In adjacent rooms are exhibitions dedicated to ancient civilisations such as the Greeks, Romans and Babylonians.

In the Ancient Roman room the Market Gate of Miletus has been restored. As you pass through it you enter the Babylonian exhibition through the famous Ishtar Gate.

After leaving the museum, the rain was much heavier so we de decided to call it a day and head back to the hotel.

Hopefully the weather will hold off tomorrow so we can make the most of our last two days in the German capital.

To view more photos from day six of my Berlin trip visit my Flickr photostream.

Zwinger, Dresden

When the cockerel awoke this morning to emit its early cry, we were probably already awake.

This was to allow for an early breakfast and for my girlfriend to take several hours to do her hair and make-up before we took a trip to Dresden in Saxony.

With breakfast consumed and the hairdryer finally turned off, we made the short walk to Zoo Station to get our bus.

It was a two hour bus trip to Dresden which is the second largest city in Saxony.

Residenschloss

The journey had a few items of interest which were:

- ‘Ikea’ Forests – these are dense areas of trees planted next to the autobahns which only have leaves on the top. The rest of the trunk is shaved balder than the hair on my skull in order for companies to sell them to to furniture manufacturers.
- Service Stations toilets – like those in Berlin, they try to charge you 50c to empty your bladder.
- Contrary to popular belief most of the autobahns do have speed limits. The stretch we travelled on had a 120kph or 130kph limit.
- Wind Turbines – Hundreds of these green energy sources could be seen on the landscape.

Dresden

Once we arrived at our destination we were given a talk on the history of the city.

Dresden is a city famous for a number of factors.

Firstly for August the Strong, who oversaw the construction of many of Dresden’s buildings. This was after he took power from his brother who died of syphilis.

Secondly for its china. The legend tells that August the Strong wished to find quick ways to make some money. So he tasked his alchemist to make him gold.

The alchemist was given a deadline to find a method or lose his head. Unfortunately he failed to find a way to make gold. Instead he found the formula for china so Dresden’s reputation for China was born.

Thirdly, Dresden is known for the World War II bombing from allied forces which destroyed the city and reduced it to rubble and killed tens of thousands.

Frauenkirche

The first attraction visited was Zwinger. This is one of the most impressive baroque buildings in Germany and used to serve as a meeting place for royals.

Just opposite Zwinger is Residenzschllos where August the Strong’s female acquaintances would stay. Residenzschllos is connected with Hofkirche by an elevated passageway so August could confess his sins quicker.

We then traversed some of Dresden’ s narrow streets before getting to the main square or Neumarkt, which is overlooked by Frauenkirche church.

Frauenkirche is one of the main attractions of Dresden. The original building collapsed two days after the allied bombing in 1945. It’s reconstruction was completed in 2005.

If you’re wondering how it took so long to rebuild, the GDR left the rubble there to serve as a war memorial.

Furstenzug

Thankfully there were no Yogi Bears, Darth Vaders, Chickens or giant pigs to ruin any photos in the main square.

Just off Neumarkt is one of Dresden’s China shops. If anyone is thinking of visiting the city to pick up some china then I suggest you arrange a substantial bank loan or a mortgage first.

The street behind Neumarkt is called Augustusstrasse and is home of the Furstenzug or the Procession of Princes. It’s a 102 metre mural constructed from 24,000 porcelain tiles depicting royalty on horses.

It was then off for a walk along the river to get some better views of the cityscape.

Dresden

All this exploring had generated a substantial thirst so we headed back to Neumarkt to have a pint.

After locating a suitable bar with outdoor seating, I ordered a pint of Krusovice Schwarzbier, it promptly arrived 23 minutes later.

We then had a bit of time to try the local delicacy, a cake called Baumkuchen or ‘tree cake’. This gets it’s name from how it’s prepared and the lines on the interior look like those on a felled tree. I was assured by shop assistant that bark was not an ingredient.

Zwinger

It was then back to the bus and the two hour trip back to the German capital.

I really enjoyed Dresden, it’s a great city with fantastic architecture and character. It’s a shame we only had a few hours to see it.

To view more photos from day five of my Germany tip visit my Flickr photostream.

The Fernsehturm

Based on a weather forecast saying Berlin would remain dry and clear, we changed our plans for the day.

Originally a number of websites dedicated to predicting the weather believed it would rain.

After eventually getting some breakfast it was straight on the S-Bahn to Alexanderplatz. The first stop of the day being the 368 metre Fernsehturm or in English, the TV Tower.

After getting our tickets there was a waiting time of 30 minutes. We used the time to go outside and get some photos of the tallest structure in Germany.

The Fernsehturm

When our tickets were eventually called the tower’s lift transported us 203 metres to the observation deck in just 40.2 seconds.

The visibility from the platform was good and it was nice to see the German capital and its landmarks from a new perspective.

After queuing for three centuries to get back down to ground level, I needed a hot drink. Whilst sipping my hot chocolate I noticed some beggars, apparently quite common occurrence in Berlin. They walk around asking members of the public if they speak English or German before showing a card with a story asking for money.

One approached our table and asked if I spoke English or German, to which I shook my hand. She then rattled off a few more languages with me still saying no.

River Spree Boat Trip

Eventually she asked me what language I spoke, I replied with “Cymraeg”. This managed to confuse her and she walked off to hassle another people sitting at another table. Eventually she left when an elderly lady started shouting at her.

A Spree River trip was next on the agenda. With a beer ordered we sat back and had a drink while sites such as Berliner Dom, Museum Island and the Reichstag passed on the banks.

After we disembarked my girlfriend decided she wanted another currywurst, I opted for a bratwurst on this occasion. This long spicy sausage was quite tasty.

Fassbender & Rausch Chocolatiers

On walking to our next port of call, we discovered a chocolatiers called Fassbender & Rausch. Inside were chocolate constructions of the Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag and Titanic. I managed to restrain myself from consuming them and opted to buy a smaller chocolate bar instead.

We then called into a small Stasi exhibition. This is an exhibit of records kept by the Stasi or former East German secret police.

A two minute walk from here, next to the stretch of the Berlin Wall we saw on Thursday, is an exhibition called Topographie des Terrors. This museum tells of the horrific crimes undertaken by the Gastapo and the consequences of their actions. It was quite chilling to read the terrible details.

Topographie des Terrors

On a lighter note, while we walking back to the train station, the giant pig and chicken costume that we saw in Potsdam yesterday had followed us to Berlin.

Our adventures continue tomorrow with a day trip to Saxony to visit the city of Dresden.

To view more photos from day four of my Berlin trip, visit my Flickr photosteam.

Potsdam's Brandenburg Gate

Based on our experience with yesterday’s rain we left the decision on what to do today to the last earth minute.

With the Berlin equivalent of Derek Brockway informing us that it would be dry, we got on the train and headed out of the city to Potsdam.

Upon getting out of Potsdam train station my sense of direction had obviously decided to stay in the hotel and we walked for 10 minutes in the wrong direction, ending up on a road in some woods.

After getting back on the right track we eventually got to Potsdam town centre.

Neues Palais

Potsdam is located on the river Havel and is the capital of the state of Brandenburg.

At the end of the main street is the Potsdam version of the Brandenberg Gate. Although smaller than its Berlin relation it is actually older and still quite impressive.

Also like yesterday at the gate in Berlin, where costumed characters such as Yogi bear and Darth Vader strolled around, a girl was dressed as a chicken handing out leaflets with a giant pig behind her.

It was then onto Park Sanssouci for a walk to see some of the attractions Lonely Planet states are essential viewing.

Orangerieschloss

The park is the oldest in Potsdam and is home to landscaped gardens, woodlands and Unesco World Heritage palaces.

We decided visit the building furthest away first which was Neues Palais. Like Berlin the construction and renovation bug has spread down to Potsdam, so a large part of the palace was under scaffolding.

Nonetheless the palace, which was constructed by Frederick the Great and later inhabited by the last German Kaisar, Willhelm II is still very impressive.

After making our way further into the park, which seriously lacks directional signage, we came to Orangerieschloss.

Schloss Sanssouci

Orangerieschloss is a 300m long palace built by Friedrich Wilhelm IV as a base for royal visitors. After avoiding tens of thousands of tourist buses I managed to get a few photos.

Following another signage-less path we came to the main attraction of the day – Schloss Sanssouci. This palace was built by Georg Wenzeslaus van Knobelsdorff in the 18th century.

The 132 stairs leading up to the palace are tiered with each section having hedgerows and grassy space. This was quite nice as (i) it made for some good photos and (ii) allowed for some amusing moaning from my girlfriend. But to be fair we had probably walked about 7miles at this point.

Potsdam

At the rear of the castle some ruins in the distance caught my eye. This turned out to be Ruinenberg, a folly built by Frederick the Great.

With our legs aching it was back to Potsdam to procure a pint of beer. I opted for a Radeberger Pilsner. The chicken at the gate was still going strong.

Walking back through central Potsdam, the German Derek Brockway’s advice failed us and the heavens opened. My other half who was eating a currywurst headed for a nearby tree.

With the rain we decided to make our way back to the subway station to get the S7 back to Zoo Station.

In our rush, and with my sense of direction still firmly packed away in the hotel, we ended up on the wrong train.

Luckily the subway followed the same route for a while, and by the time we realised we were on the wrong train, we only had to go back two stops.

Fortunately there were no more slip ups and we got back to the hotel.

It’s back into Berlin tomorrow to take in some of the museums.

To view more photos from day three of my Berlin trip visit my flickr photostream.

Berliner Dom

After a good night sleep, apart from a bit of sleepwalking, it was off for a quick breakfast.

The selection in the breakfast buffet was excellent with cold meats and cheeses but alas there was no black pudding.

With our nutritional supplements ingested we made the short walk over to Zoologischer Garten Station to meet our walking tour.

Insider Tours were the company we booked based on advice we have received from other people who have been to Berlin. In a nutshell it gives visitors to Berlin a whistle-stop tour of the main city centre sites.

The first part of the tour involved getting onto the subway system to Hackescher Markt. From there we walked to a little park near the River Spree, where our guide Penelope gave us a condensed history of Germany. Also it gave us an opportunity to witness a meeting of the Berlin branch of the wildbunch complete with their shopping trolleys.

Neue Wache

With the introductory talk over we made our way across the river to Berliner Dom and the Atles museum.

Berliner Dom or Berlin Cathedral was built in 1905 and apart from a place of worship, is also a museum and concert venue.

We then made the short walk down Unter Den Linden, which translates as under the linden tree. The first port of call on this grand boulevard was Neue Wache which serves as a memorial for all who have died through war and tyranny.

The second stop along Unter den Linden was Bebelplatz a public square overlooked by Alte Bibliothek and an underground memorial to the 30,000 books destroyed during the first book burning of the Nazi regime in 1933.

Our hardy tour group then battled through the rain showers to Gendarmenmarkt with two churches and Konzerthaus is located.

Gendarmenmarkt

After a quick break in a coffee shop, we continued onto the second section of the tour.

Next on the agenda was Checkpoint Charlie. During the Cold War this served as the main crossing point for the Allies and politicians between east and west Berlin. It’s slightly disappointing that the structure here is a reconstruction and mock American soldiers pose for photos with visitors.

Just down the road from Checkpoint Charlie, a small part of the Berlin Wall still stands. It was quite striking to see this infamous wall. What is ironic is that a fence has been erected in front of the wall to order to protect it from people trying to take away a souvenir.

Our guide then led us to what she described as the most visited car park in the world. It turned out it was the location of Hitler’s bunker where he spent his final days while the Soviets bombarded the city, before committing suicide.

The Berlin Wall

It was then time to visit the Memorial to the Murdered European Jews. It was created in 2007 and consists of 2700 concrete columns rising from the ground. This was a very sombre experience and it’s frightening to think of the number of people who lost their lives.

The final two stops were next up. Firstly the Reichstag, home of the German Government and the Brandenburg Gate. It’s hard to believe that only 22 years ago the gate stood in no-man’s land between East and West Berlin.

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

What was even weirder was the fact that Yogi Bear and Darth Vader were posing for photos with the hoards of tourists that we gathered around the gate.

It was at this point our walking tour ended and we had developed quite a thirst and appetite.

My friend Jam, (a Trallwyn expat, who now lives in a secluded abode in the Australian outback) told me to try a currywurst during my trip to the Germany capital. So I located a kiosk near the Brandenburg gate and procured a currywurst and a beer.

The Brandenburg Gate

I didn’t know what to expect from this curry tinged sausage but it was excellent. I intend to subject another to my digestive system before I leave the city.

After walking all over Berlin, for our evening meal we decided to go to a Vietnamese restaurant close to the hotel. I opted for half a litre of Warsteiner, wantons for starters and ginger chicken for main. The food was easily one of the best I’ve had.

To view more photos from day two of my Berlin trip visit my Flickr Photostream.

Refreshments at Bristol Airport

After 6 weeks of waiting the big day finally arrived. I’m not referring to National Taco Day (which twitter claims is today) but the day of our departure to the city of Berlin.

The German capital with its history and reputation for good beer has always been a city I wanted to visit.

I always remember as a kid looking at pictures of the Berlin wall dividing the city in my Weetabix World Atlas. On that topic, I still can’t believe you had to save 6 tokens from the cereal box and also pay for postage and packaging for the publication.

With all necessary belongings packed , including my girlfriend’s five different pairs of footwear, we made our way to Bristol Airport.

We had some time to spare on the way up the M4 so decided to risk a trip into Newport for a Toby Carvery.

After getting the postcode for the establishment from the official Toby Carvery website, the SatNav led us all the way through Newport and to a dead end in a council estate. There was no restaurant in site.

What’s more there were two scruffy, stray canines blocking a place to turn around.

Franziskaner Weissbier

After managing to get the correct postcode off google maps we escaped from the estate. The famished hounds chose not to pursue.

After an average turkey dinner it was onto the airport.

When travelling from Bristol Airport I usually book the long stay car park. But after my recent trip to watch the Swans at Arsenal we chose to use a website called www.parkatmyhouse.com with the intention to save a few pounds.

The guy who we arranged the parking with had over 300 excellent reviews and lives less than 2 minutes from the airport. He met us at the terminal drop off point to pick the car up.

To be fair ‘Alfie’ as he liked to be known was very thorough and gave us the arrangements for the return trip. Based on the experience so far, I would use again.

The money we saved on parking was wisely spent on a bottle of white wine at the airport bar before eventually boarded the flight.

Holiday Inn Express, Berlin City Centre West

After the flight which only 1 hour 46 minutes long, our luggage literally came off the belt first and second respectively and we boarded a waiting taxi.

The taxi ride was quite amusing with the driver constantly beeping at other drivers and swerving in between lanes.

We arrived at the hotel at around 10.30pm and went down to the bar for a quick beverage. I opted for a pint of Franziskaner Weissbier, while the better half opted for a cocktail.

After a day of travelling we are looking forward to exploring Berlin tomorrow with a walking tour.

To view photos from day one of my Berlin trip visit my Flickr photostream.

Woofstock

Unfortunately this was the final day of our Toronto trip.

After checking out of our hotel we decided to make the most of our last few hours.

Walking away from the hotel, we found several of the adjacent roads were closed and marquees set up selling products for canines.

Hundreds of dogs were present too. Some large, some small, some with neck ties and others with coats.

It was all for an event called Woofstock, North America’s biggest festival for man’s best friend.

Toronto

Once we circumnavigated this and hurdled dog stools on the floor, the first real stop was St Lawrence Market. The mission being to sample some of the delicious looking foods we saw the other day.

The most notable for me was the spicy hot Ontario chorizo which nearly set my mouth on fire.

The market was heaving today with shoppers buying their weekend foods and buskers playing jazz music.

It was then off to the harbourfront for a stroll next to Lake Ontario.

The Harbourfront Centre takes up a large chunk of land here with outdoor stages and cafes.

PATH

Underneath Toronto are subterranean tunnels and shops called PATH. It is possible to walk across the entire city without going up to street level.

It was quite and odd experience venturing around PATH as most of the establishments were closed and walkways devoid of fellow humanoids.

When we exited this underground labyrinth we stumbled across an event called Luminato located on the public space next to Roy Thompson Hall.

A number of bands were scheduled to appear on stage throughout the day but the proceedings also include theatre, art, film and literature.

Luminato

After one last walk around the downtown area we made our way to the Steam Whistle Brewery to pick up some beers to take home.

To avoid eating at the airport we visited the Old Spaghetti Factory for a quick meal. Just at the right time too as when we left the queue was out of the door and stretching as far west as Vancouver.

While waiting for a taxi we had enough time for a quick beer at the hotel before heading to the airport. I went for a pint of Mill St. Tankhouse.

After months of anticipation I’m glad to say Toronto did not let us down. To stay for 7 days and still not have time to do everything says it all. I would definitely return to this great city in a few years.

To view photos from my final day in Toronto visit my Flickr photostream.

View from Toronto Centre Island

On our last full day in Canada’s largest city we opted to visit the Toronto Islands.

We made our way to the ferry terminal and queued with hundreds of others to get on board for our second boat trip in as many days.

It was only a 15 minute journey across.

The Toronto Islands are green parklands with lakes, gardens, beaches and recreational facilities.

There is also an amusement park for visitors to enjoy.

Toronto Island

We walked 4km around the centre island to Hanlan’s point which gave great views of the city and Lake Ontario.

Back on the mainland and it was time for lunch. We found a place called Spring Rolls which serves a variety of Thai, Chinese and Japanese foods.

We took our seats on the patio and I ordered Misa soup, Bangkok wings and Chicken Satay with mango salad.

After lunch I was then forced to go shopping once again.

View from Hanlan's Point

After looking around a number of retail outlets, and with gifts and a Toronto FC shirt bought, it was back to the hotel for a quick rest.

The Rogers Centre was next on the list of venues to visit – the reason being baseball. Toronto Blue Jays were hosting the Boston Red Sox.

After getting our tickets we made our way into the stadium.

The amount of different food and beer outlets put any UK football stadium to shame. The only down side is that beers cost $10. But you can drink when watching the game.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays lost the game 5-1 but it didn’t impact on my enjoyment. They really know how to maximise fan involvement and we even made it onto the big screen!

It’s hard to believe tomorrow is our last day in this fantastic city.

To view more pictures from day seven of my Toronto trip visit my Flickr photostream.