I decided to go on this trip over my quick three-day Labor Day weekend to get out of my barracks room. I had no idea how I was going to do it, where I was going to stay, or what I was going to do there. But, I just told myself that I had to go do it.
I had to prove to myself that I could do hard, scary things.
Did it solo, with minimal train experience, scared of the language barrier, and absolutely no plan. But I did it.
Turns out train stations aren’t that scary, the parks are beautiful, even with naked men doing photo shoots, and plenty of people speak English for me to get by. I did a lot in the 17 hours I spent wondering around and walked a ton.
All in all, not a place I would visit again, but I’m so proud of myself for doing this all alone and being ok with not having a plan.
SEE IT ALL BELOW!
p.s. if you click on a photo you can scroll the gallery with a bigger image.
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church // Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnis-Kirche
Badly damaged during the war, a Protestant church affiliated with the Evangelical Church, constructed in 1891. The odd photo of the steps is a golden crack in the ground in front of the church to commemorate the victims of the December 2016 terrorist attack on a Berlin Christmas market.
Berlin Victory Column
Wont say how many times I walked/rode the scooter around this dang thing trying to find the cross walk to get to it. Turns out theres a tunnel that starts at one of four other buildings around it and you go under the circle of traffic. Safety first, not super obvious so someone who doesn’t know German so I’m not trying to read any signs that clearly say tunnel with an arrow (:
Such an iconic monument. Cool view at the top. Nice to say I did it.
Saw a jeep from the top! 
Mosaic at the middle portion. 
From the middle portion. 
Stairs to the very top. Almost 300. 
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
I saw this on TV a long, long time ago, probably in school, and always wanted to go to it. Number one thing on my list to do in Berlin once I realized thats where it was. Heavy atmosphere, quiet, chilling, 2711 concrete slabs, uneven ground. Didn’t take any photos inside the tour which is underground but it was interesting. Audio tour provided. Too much to listen to and try to read at the same time. Highly recommend.
Berlin Cathedral Church // Brandenburg Gate // Checkpoint Charlie
Berlin Cathedral Church was really pretty.
Brandenburg Gate was cool to see in person. Went at 9:30 and again after 10:30 and there were 4x as many people. Busy site. Found some old photos of the gate during the war. Really crazy what was destroyed and how they turned it all into what it is today.
Checkpoint Charlie -name given by the Western Allies to the best known Berlin Wall crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War.
Berliner Dom 
Part of the wall 
Reederei Riedel boat tour
Wouldn’t recommend this 3-hour tour even though my Airbnb host raved about it. Interesting but the audio thing didn’t work the best and I would have rather had someone sitting next to me to tell me what the narrator was saying. Cool things though. Saw the East Side Gallery of the Berlin Wall. The three white men sculpture is called Molecule Man, designed by American artist Jonathan Borofsky, also located in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Most bridges were destroyed across the canal during the time of East/West Germany. Oberbaum Bridge is made from original pieces which divers brought up from the canal including original brick and the metal pieces. Important marking of unity for the city today. Really cool that they ensured it was rebuilt as it should have been.
Looks like a Banksy. Cant confirm. 
Museum on Museum Island 
Molecule Man 
Oberbaum Bridge 
Book burning memorial // Humbolt University // Neue Wache // Fred the Great
Book burning memorial -Sunken monument with empty shelves, marking the site of approximately 20,000 books burned by Nazis. Really cool to see this large whole with empty white shelves.
Humbolt University around Bebel Platz.
Neue Wache -Serves as the “Central Memorial of the Federal Republic of Germany for the Victims of War and Dictatorship.” I took a photo of the description outside. Heavy place to walk into.
Frederick the Great statue -Honors King Frederick II of Prussia, unveiled in 1851.
Random stuff
Rausch Schokoladenhaus 
Made of chocolate 
Made of chocolate 
Read online you can tour the city in these cute cars and the narration plays over the radio as you drive around.
Metropol told me I was finally done with trains and my Airbnb was just down the street. The elevator there was super small and sketchy. But better than walking 6 floors. Found a Los-Angeles Platz where there were roses and nice bench to relax – thought about mom. Had some really good pancakes and amazing fresh orange juice at Steel Vintage Bikes Cafe I found when searching ‘pancakes.’ Splattered this chocolate sauce all over my favorite tank top at 9 am. Cool. Cool elephant arch at the zoo. Rausch Schokoladenhaus was overwhelming. You can make your own chocolate bar here too. &The best gelato Ive ever had.
So, Live; Through Travel 