Back to Germany: first, this was an important work trip because it allowed me to work in person with many people on my team in Europe - such a great opportunity, and something that I miss leading a global team (i.e. being face-to-face). That was, obviously, the priority of the trip: lots of work, work, work as we prepare for next year. But...we had some fun, too...
I've had the pleasure of traveling to many great cities in Europe, but I think that Berlin is one of my favorites. It's a city that has so much history over the past century, and has seemed to transform itself (for better or worse) several times during that period. Everywhere you step is so historical! As a big, fat nerd, I could wonder around the city for days...
I arrived on Sunday and got to explore the city a bit (as I shared through some lovely iPhoto self portraits.) After walking around the area I was staying in (Potsdamers Platz), I stumbled upon what I think translates to the Gallery of Modern Art.
It's quite a small building, and, as someone explained to me, exhibits only a small bit of it's total collection at a time, focused on a specific time period. Currently it's featuring post-WWII to the 1960s: quite a changing time in Germany and the rest of the world (as reflected in the art).
After the art gallery, I moseyed my way from Potsdamers Platz, admiring some of the interesting building design. This area was a very busy part of the city prior to the second World War, then part of former East Berlin, and now has exploded since the unification with many large companies (Deutsche Bank, Sony, etc) building enormous headquarter buildings. It's quite a fascinating place to be, with many old/new, east/west structures....
I walked from the Platz, through the Tiergarten (one of the largest public gardens in Germany), and over to some of the most famous structures in Berlin: Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag. Although I have seen them before, I couldn't be so close and not see them again!
Although I didn't spent much time at the Holocaust Memorial this trip, I was not blogging back during my 2010 trip to Berlin and wanted to share some of the photos. Known as the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, it's honestly one of the most interesting, beautiful, and serene memorials I've experienced and sits predominantly off of the Tiergarten and beside the Brandenburg Gate (and US Embassy). There are over 2700 concrete pillars (stelae) of different height, and, according to the designer, "the stelae are designed to produce an uneasy, confusing atmosphere, and the whole sculpture aims to represent a supposedly ordered system that has lost touch with human reason."
Continuing on my self tour, I decided I had time for one more museum: The Checkpoint Charlie museum. Checkpoint Charlie (or "Checkpoint C"was the best known crossing point between West Berlin and East Berlin, and now, since unification, a major tourist attraction. Yes, the museum is a little cliche, but the Wall was such a part of the city's history and a fascinating / difficult time. I couldn't resist, and spent almost 2 hours reading through accounts of people's escape from East to West and what life was like for Berliners during that time.
Speaking of the history, there are places today where the Wall still stands - although, at this time, only serving as a Memorial or something of the like. There is also a line of bricks that runs through the city - over streets, sidewalks, through buildings, etc - which marks where the wall once stood. Very subtle, but impactful if you stop to think about how divided such a busy, vibrant city (as it is today) once was. Honestly, I'd sometimes cross the line and get chills.
After all my Sunday adventures, the rest of the week was devoted to work and meetings, except for the evenings when we would go to the Berlin Christmas Markets. Honest to goodness, I would go back to Berlin in a heartbeat just to go visit the Markets again! They were beautiful, festive, and the perfect place to grab some Christmas goodies (ornaments for others, and a gorgeous new Nativity for myself). Also, it was good place to partake in some Gluehwein (hot, mulled wine) and other German delicacies (like brats, chocolate and cheese.) They are so popular that there are over 60 markets in Berlin alone during the month of December! These pictures cannot even begin to portray how a normal city street was transformed into a bustling holiday market. It was a lovely way to kick off the Christmas season.
Looking at this pictures, I want to go back! Maybe next season I'll get a chance to return (and hopefully take the honey with me - I know he'd be super happy with all the brats.) Until then, danka, Germany, for your wonderful hospitality!
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