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Sunday 8th June 2014

 Wake up to another sunny, sultry day and give the very large buffet-style breakfast at the hotel a miss. Instead we take the short walk to the very impressive square, Gendarmen Markt, the location of the French Cathedral, German Cathedral and the Concert House. Continental breakfast in the square fits the bill perfectly and the coffee is good enough to have a second cup for once.

Based on some advice from Craig we take the U-Bahn to Alexanderplatz to view the Fernsehturm which dominates the Berlin skyline and which the East German Government at the time seems to have erected as a two finger ‘up yours’ gesture to the West. The nearby World Clock gives us a timely reminder of how far away we are from dear old Busselton.

The previous evening I had done some research on Berlin highlights and we next take the U-Bahn to Bernauer Strasse station to begin our self-guided tour of the remaining sections of the Berlin Wall. Along Bernauer Strasse from Brunnen Strasse to Garten Strasse the Berlin authorities, through a series of photographs, plaques and audio recordings, have given a very graphic illustration of the horrors of The Wall which caused those living  along this border untold suffering, not to mention the deaths of so many people driven by desperation to attempt an escape to the West.

On my previous visits to Berlin in the 1970’s one monument had always stayed in my memory, the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedachtnis Kirche, and so it is something of a pilgrimage to get back to this site which had been bombed almost to the point of extinction during the war. It’s a disappointment to see the old church still under scaffolding as the reconstruction continues, somewhat behind the scheduled completion date of 2013. However, the more modern chapel with its magnificent blue stained glass windows and simple but striking bronze cross makes for a memorable return visit.

We only have time for a short refresher break back again the hotel before it’s off to the Gendarmen Markt again to meet up with Liane and Bernd for dinner at the fashionable Borchardt restaurant. Apparently, this is a regular haunt of the glitterati and movers and shakers of Berlin and the Irelands at least don’t fit into either category. In fact, we get the distinct feeling that the Ireland/Schrader group may have been a bit too noisy and boisterous for the staff but they don’t refuse our money and we enjoy a very fine meal and the great company of Liane and Bernd. Our short stay in Berlin is definitely coming up to expectations and this is no small way due to the hospitality and kindness of Liane and Bernd. Hopefully, we will be able to return the compliment in Australia at some time in the future when Bernd, in particular, takes some time out to ‘ stop and smell the roses’ ( I have no idea what the translation is in German!)

Cheers

The Obese Ferret.