Working in Norway: Berlin, Germany Day 22

9am This morning we went to Galeria Kaufhof for breakfast, they have a food bar of sorts set up on the top floor of the mall. I had a vegetarian wrap and mozzarella with tomato on rye bread and Lauren had some similar breads. After that we caught the train to Brandenburger Tor where our free tour started at 11am.

11am till 2:40pm Our tour guide by the name of Johnny who is british and from Nottingham in the UK took us from Brandenburger Tor to memorial sites, Charlie Checkpoint and parts where the former Berlin wall used to stand. It was pretty good. At the end of it we gave him tips because that's how they make their money.

At Brandenburger Tor, behind this where the photo was taken on the left side is a hotel from which Michael Jackson hung his son from the balcony.

A holocaust memorial with 2200+ pillars with varying sinking depths into the ground. Walking through the memorial is supposed to convey a feeling of isolation and loneliness.

This is the building where decisions were made by the Nazis to send Jews to be murdered where and when

Another memorial. Images of the people here were killed trying to escape East Germany. It is situated on grounds that used to be a former building owned by Nazis that had 2000 offices.

Part of the Berlin wall that separated East and West Germany

Checkpoint Charlie, a memory from the Cold War

Singapore embassy? Not sure. Didn't seem to be open.

Gendarmenmarkt, another square in Berlin

Bebelplatz, a memorial for the 20,000 books burnt by the Nazis

Located at the same site as the books memorial, if I remember this correctly it says something along the lines of when the books burn so will the people, words that were said in 1820. People never change.

Neue Wache Memorial, done by a local Berlin artist portraying a mother holding her dying son. Beneath lies an unidentified German soldier and unidentified other soldier. This is meant to convey in war nobody wins. (I will add: Except the bloody bankers who fund both sides of the war)

Berliner Dom, designed to look older than what it really is. I can imagine that slogan will make makeup that goes well with women.

Good to see that politicians are still great at lying after all these years. And good to see that people still believe our politicians and that politicians will look after them. This was taken at the Stiftung Topographie des Terrors ("Topography of Terror") which had an exhibit about World War II and the time of Nazi rule.

The old school curriculum during World War II for children. Taken at Stiftung Topographie des Terrors.

Part of the Berlin wall, this was taken at the Stiftung Topographie des Terrors.

Berlin is quite the historical place. I've more facts crammed into my head than I can remember. Oh, at 1pm we had lunch, I had wonton soup and Lauren had lentil soup.

2:40pm We tipped Johnny then went to some bar that served green and red beer. After that took a walk back along Wilhelmstrasse where we had coffee and cake then took the train back to Alexanderplatz and walked to Galeria Kaufhof to check out what they have to offer. Had dinner at 8:30pm or so. I had pasta with chicken and Lauren had sausages.