Berlin

We arrived in Berlin early Saturday morning to find out that it was unification holiday weekend (October 3, 1990 to be precise).  Berlin was packed with people from all over Germany coming to visit the city for the holiday.  Amazing to find ourselves here for this event; however, it translated into very very few hotel rooms left within the city.  After we passed on the first hotel room offered because of price, we took the next, described as not too far from the center and on a metro line.  Still...119 euros...but we were ready to start exploring and worried about not finding a room at all (after spending the previous night in Amsterdam's airport, albeit on some very comfortable plush armchairs).  A little tired and feeling foolish, the lovely tourist information agent handed us the confirmation sheet for our hotel room.  And where do you suppose the hotel was? Burgemeisterstrasse...which we read as Burmeister Street, and were reminded that yes, everything does happen for a reason (says Lesley).  

A bombed out cathedral by Zoogarden station. Not restored but left as a memorial, with the forms (volumes) of the belfry and the baptistry recreated in plain black brick.  

Graffiti is everywhere, particularly in East Berlin. Some of it is quite beautiful.

poetry in motion

way to seize the opportunity (click on this one to enlarge)

A few years after the wall fell, artists were invited from around the world to make a piece on the longest remaining section (1.3 kilometers).  This section of the wall is across the street from a huge modern convention center (glass, stainless steel, LED lights) called O2 world.  It is quite the contrast.

Irving Magic Johnson

Cafe Hofbackerin: this little coffee shop in East Berlin sells killer coffee and lovely bite size cookies. They also run workshops on how to live your dream---berliner traumjobs.  The owner explained that having this cafe was his dream and he now wants to help other people do the same. 

Enjoyed wieners and mixed salads at Sowohlalsach kafeehaus, a precious cafe in the Prenzlauer neighborhood in northeastern Berlin.  Topped it off with apple kuchen and sitting outside with fleece blankets and espressos--the blankets are a nice trend that we've seen in several cities thus far, another perk of traveling in the fall).  For those who dream of opening a cafe, this place is a model.   

Back to our hotel for the evening, on where? Burmeister Street!