Honeymoon- Day 17- Berlin

Our first order of business today is to visit the Berlin Wall Monument, which is right next to where the wall used to be, as well as a tower used by the East to protect the wall.

The wall is seemingly so erratic because, as they went through cities, they had to go around buildings, railroads, cemeteries...

Before the wall was erected, which occurred in one day according to reports, tens of thousands of people protested.

In an attempt to prevent people from jumping over the wall they put up nail beds on the other side.  But this is the nothing in comparison to all of the people incarcerated or shot in an attempt to get to West Berlin.  The museum highlights stories of the people crossing, or helping others cross, along with their fate.  People will do anything for freedom.

At the top of the Berlin Wall Monument there is a view, from the West to the East.

Berlin is famous for its pedestrian crosswalk signals.

In fact, we found an entire souvenir shop devoted to just this, crosswalk men. 

This will be our album cover, if we ever get an international band going.

Kimmie and Lea went to the apartment for down time, which we (I) don't believe in, so we went on to the Topography of Terror museum.  The museum documents an earlier part of history, during the rise and fall of the Nazi regime.  It is A LOT of information, so much so that after reading the entire timeline of history outside, we had no desire to go inside to learn more.  Our brains are on Berlin overload.  It is amazing how much history has happened here.

Ugh, Checkpoint Charlie.  Don't even get me started.  

There is a museum, which is supposed to be interesting, but the actual checkpoint is now the location of "American" troops posing with tourists.  I just couldn't do it.

The rest of our day was spent walking around, admiring architecture, and everything the walls have witnessed.

 This brat restaurant popped up, right next to our apartments in Mitte.  Not only did they have the traditional meat options, they had veggie ones too!  It was an obvious place to meet for dinner for our last night in Berlin.

Swiss presents!

I don't want to call anyone out, but someone had two bratwurst... oh wait, I was the only one who didn't eat two!