Day 1 collage - 18th Sep 2010

Metropolitan Hansa for 3 nights Sat 18th Sep - Tue 21st Sep 2010

Modern 3* hotel centrally located within the Schoenberg area.  The hotel dates from 1900, being refurbished in 2007 to a modern style. The hotel has 72 rooms all with en-suite facilities. The room was quiet, comfortable, and clean. Each bed had a single pillow, typical of most European hotels. The receptionists were nice, helpful and spoke English.  We could come and go 24 hours a day with a card key system. However, the room did not come with breakfast, and at an extra charge of 8 Euro each to have it we decided to find ours in the city.  One other point to note was that the hotel seemed to hold the world’s slowest working lift ever known. We often took the stairs, even thought we were on the fourth floor.

Travel around Berlin

Travel in Berlin: extensive U-Bahn (underground) and S-Bahn (over ground) system which run in three zones A-C, all three needed to get to the airport, while the main city is within zone A. A welcome card for 48hrs (16 Euro) and 72hrs (22 Euro) gives all travel and discount pack (we used for discount on TV tower and a river trip). 

(as you can see the stations were never very busy)

Day 1 - Walk around Potsdamer Platz

Although the name Platz actually mean square, there has never been one at this area. Instead it got its name in 1831 to fit in with the Potsdamer Tor (gate).  After the war this area was left a deserted wasteland close to the Berlin wall. Ten years after the fall of the wall the area was finally revived into the modern structures seen today. The new Manhattan of skyscrapers, most notably the Sony centre houses an entertainment hub.

Area highlights –

Potsdamer Platz – once one of the busiest plazas’s in Europe, now a variety of modern architecture, look in particular within the Sony centre has a huge glass dome  

Staatsbibliothek – state library built in 1978 (the tower look like has huge rubix cube on top).

Philharmonie – chamber music hall, this building is covered in golden aluminium and meant to look like a tent   

St-Mattaus-Kirche – 19^th Century church with two toned brick layering

Day 1 - Walk around Schloss Charlottenburg

The park surrounding the former royal summer residence in Charlottenburg is one of the most picturesque places in all of Berlin. The wings of this place house interesting exhibitions, plus on the occasion we past this area by a very posh wedding reception was occurring.

Area highlights –

Schloss Charlottenburg – originally a summer house for the Electoral Princess of Brandenburg, Sophie Charlotte.

  

Reiterdenkmal des Grossen Kurfursten – monument of the great elector.  

Schlosspark – Palace Park taking influence from English gardens. We come across some nice tame red squirrels within this park area.

Mausoleum – this was erected as a burial place for Queen Luise between 1810 and 1812 and contains other members of the royal family.

Bear-lin

GRRRRRR the city had many bears as you can see below

Berlin Bear

  

Grizzly Bear

 

Helper Bear (thats the tube map on him)

 Gay bear

Night bear

Berlin Day 1 - Walk around Kurfurstendamm

The eastern end of this area in particular around Breitscheidplatz, is the centre of the former West Berlin. Thirty years ago this ultramodern district, with its department stores and office blocks attracted visitors from around the world. Today however, although the area still retains its unique atmosphere, it’s fast becoming overshadowed by the newer Potsdamer Platz and arches of Friedrichstrasse.  

Area Highlights –

Zoologischer Garten – world famous zoo, with the Oriental-style Elephant gates providing one of the two main entrances.

Europa-Centre – one of the attractions of this shopping complex is the three fountains with moving parts, including outside the Wasserklops (water dumpling), one depicting the passing of time and a relaxing courtyard of moving water.

Kaiser-Wilhelm Gedachtnis Kirche (Emperor William Memorial Church) – damaged during WWII it was decided to leave the ruin as a reminder and surround the building with modern constructions.  The memorial hall itself has a ceiling covered in mosaics and marble reliefs.

Berlin gate sculpture – in the centre strip of the main Tauentzienstarsse (shopping street) marking the 750 anniversary of the city and the interlocking relationship between East and West Berlin.   

KaDeWe – largest department store in European mainland and renowned for its 6^th floor, dedicated entirely to gourmet food.

 

Kant-Dreieck – this building contains only right angles, the sail on the roof makes it instantly recognizable.