Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Berlin, Germany, Day 4 at Sea
Berlin is not a port town, but Rostock and Warnemunde are, about three hours away, which was where we docked at 7 a.m. this morning. The weather was cold and drizzly. We left the ship promptly at 7 and found our bus through SPB Tours. This was the first of three tours we would be taking with the tour company. Our bus was spacious and comfortable, with only sixteen or so passengers inside. At first Alice and I sat in the front seat, but then we moved to the back where we could recline and enjoy the scenery.
Our tour guide Heather met us at the Olympic Stadium.
The stadium was spared during WWII because it was used as a landmark that guided Allied forces directly toward the government buildings in the center of Berlin.
Thoughts of WWII accompanied my visit here, along with memories of one of my favorite films of all time, Wim Wenders's Wings of Desire. Visiting Berlin was a big deal!
Holocaust Memorial
We stopped for lunch at a great place that Heather had set up for us. The food was delicious, and so was the beer!
There's a lot of construction going on in Berlin. Many of the museums on Museum Island are being renovated.
After touring the museums, we visited the last remaining section of the Berlin Wall...
Our tour lasted six hours, barely scratching the surface of this beautiful city. On the three-hour drive back to the ship, I listened to a couple podcasts with Rick Steves and a few Berliners, talking about the greatness of the city and it's lively, fun-loving character. I definitely want to come back. I could spend a few weeks here.
Back on board the ship by 7 p.m. We had dinner by ourselves (we missed the rest of our table), then called it a day.
Berlin, Germany, Day 4 at Sea
Berlin is not a port town, but Rostock and Warnemunde are, about three hours away, which was where we docked at 7 a.m. this morning. The weather was cold and drizzly. We left the ship promptly at 7 and found our bus through SPB Tours. This was the first of three tours we would be taking with the tour company. Our bus was spacious and comfortable, with only sixteen or so passengers inside. At first Alice and I sat in the front seat, but then we moved to the back where we could recline and enjoy the scenery.
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| On the way to Berlin |
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| Hardly anyone on the bus |
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| Olympic Stadium in the distance |
Our tour guide Heather met us at the Olympic Stadium.
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| With Heather, our guide |
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| Olympic Stadium |
The stadium was spared during WWII because it was used as a landmark that guided Allied forces directly toward the government buildings in the center of Berlin.
Thoughts of WWII accompanied my visit here, along with memories of one of my favorite films of all time, Wim Wenders's Wings of Desire. Visiting Berlin was a big deal!
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| One of several palaces we drove by |
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| Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church |
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| Reichstag |
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| Brandenburg Gate |
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| U.S. Embassy |
Holocaust Memorial
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| Holocause Memorial |
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| Apple Strudel...yum! |
There's a lot of construction going on in Berlin. Many of the museums on Museum Island are being renovated.
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| Museums on Museum Island |
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| Old Museum |
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| Berlin Dome |
After touring the museums, we visited the last remaining section of the Berlin Wall...
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| Berlin Wall, what remains of it |
...And Checkpoint Charlie
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| Checkpoint Charlie |
Our tour lasted six hours, barely scratching the surface of this beautiful city. On the three-hour drive back to the ship, I listened to a couple podcasts with Rick Steves and a few Berliners, talking about the greatness of the city and it's lively, fun-loving character. I definitely want to come back. I could spend a few weeks here.
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