24 Hours in Berlin

After Krakow, we were headed to Amsterdam in the Netherlands, but we broke up the long drive by spending two nights in Berlin. My friend Ali Schmidt Siegert lived in Berlin for several years and gave us an incredibly detailed breakdown of a tour she used to do with friends when they visited. We parsed it down a bit and chose some highlights to hit that were within walking distance from our hostel, and had a very memorable day in Berlin. Before venturing out, we showed the kids some YouTube videos about the wall, and put it in context with the other European and world history we'd been learning about (namely WWII and then the Soviet occupation and the "Cold War"). We left on foot and visited Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate, the Memorial to Murdered Jews of Europe, and, of course, the Berlin Wall. I don't think I expected much, but I was very moved when standing in front of the preserved segment of the wall. I remember watching Reagan calling on Gorbachev to tear it down, and I remember watching on the news as throngs of people tore away at it with tools and with their hands, and the symbolism it represented (no more air raid sirens, no more drills hiding under our desks). Standing there in front of the stark, physical boundary between tyranny and oppression and democratic freedom was meaningful, and, again, a poignant reminder of our ongoing political divisions, but also people's commonly held desire for unity and freedom. 

Later, we drove by the East Side Gallery, which is another long, preserved stretch of the wall that is covered with gorgeous and powerful street art installments that go on and on. The juxtaposition of this beautiful, colorful art on this otherwise ugly artifact from an ugly time in the city's history was stunning and hope-inspiring.

We headed from there to the Spandau Citadel for the Easter Knights Festival. Our kids are BIG FANS of the Renaissance Festival back in Colorado, and love to go every year, fully outfitted and costumed up in all manner of regalia. When we saw advertisements for the Knights Festival just 20 minutes on the other side of town, we knew it would be a treat they would enjoy. It did not disappoint, complete with a Celtic Band (in German) and a fire show complete with riders on horseback, dancers, and the like (a gentleman nearby was kind enough to translate much of the narration for us). Afterwards, we headed back to the hostel for bed. I could spend more time in Berlin, but this was just a stop-through this time around. Next up: Amsterdam.