The Purple Penguin

So Berlin. Joe was in Holland for work stuff, so I came over on the ferry and met up with him on the train in Hengelo. Long journey! Left work at 5 on Friday, up to Harwich and on the ferry, dinner and sleep, in Hoek van Holland at 8 and off. Didn’t get on the train to Berlin until 3pm but was in Hengelo by noon – I hit all the connections just right and was over an hour earlier than I thought I’d be. Especially with rail works around Rotterdam! So I walked around Hengelo and had lunch – no left luggage there so I had to carry the bag which limited how far I could go. But I found a market with a live band – brass – playing blues and disco! Fun. Got on the train, found Joe – we had a whole little compartment to ourselves, and watched Germany go by. Got into Berlin about twenty past seven, so that was a long trip. But lovely.

Off to the hotel from the station and we’re staying right on the river, lovely hotel, lovely area. So dinner at the hotel last night and straight to bed.

Slept in – we’re on holiday! So left quite late in the morning and just walked all over. Crossed the river and headed along the park along the river walk to the Government district. Can’t get tickets to go up the dome but had a walk around the district. Then down to the Brandenburg Gate and the Holocaust Memorial. We didn’t go into the exhibit there, but did walk around the blocks. Then headed for Checkpoint Charlie, via Potsdamer Plaza.

Saw bits of the Berlin wall along our walk, but at Checkpoint Charlie there is a museum. It looks a very small museum, but once you’re upstairs it just keeps going! Lots of information about the wall and the people who helped people across – many of the same people who’d been in the German resistance fighting the Nazis. Interesting.

We then headed out along the longest section of wall remaining and an interesting exhibit on the Nazis on the site of the gestapo headquarters. From there walked back to the hotel through the park. So a very long day of walking and seeing the top sites!