Today I visited a couple of the things people first think of when they think of Berlin and then the war. I started with an early morning stroll along the Berlin wall. Very little of this wall still exists. There is a 1.3km section known as the east side gallery, which has allowed artists to paint art on the walls. Most of it is very good, there is the occasional graffiti though. Also its not a true 1.3km continuous stretch either, there are bit missing in the middle. I think there are only 2 other places the wall is actually still standing.
Berlin wall Eastside gallery
I also visited Checkpoint Charlie. I’m not even sure if its an original building. Still I did learn something today. When i think of a wall, I think of a wall to keep people in. But the Berlin wall was really to keep the socialist east Germans out of the capitalist west Germans bit of Berlin. Today it seems so stupid, but stuff like this still happens around the world. I am wandering though if its illegal to get your Australian passport stamped at checkpoint charlie, like many seem to do. It probably is one of those things that gets ignored by most places, whereas a Kosovo or Israel stamp can cause issues.
Checkpoint Charlie
Berlin Legoland
Also I did that childhood dream today and was disappointed. I’m talking about Legoland, but the one in Berlin is really not a Legoland. Its a smallish lego place. It was ok, but I guess I’ll be saving my money to see the real Legoland in Billund, Denmark one day.
Finally I walked past the Berliner Dom Cathedral to get some photos. It was here I found great use for my spanish. Most beggars know english and german (knowing english usually can get you a job in many places). So today when nagged in german, but failing to give the required response, but then nagged in english I just responded with “Yo sólo hablo español”. That seemed to work.
Anyway only a day and a half to go. The bloody train ticket to Frankfurt was a rort. I’m officially out of my travel savings today. Not bad, good enough for 40 odd days worth of budgeting. So the last few days are on last months pay, which I assume went in to my bank account while away. That said everything is paid for, so just a few meals and any further sightseeing. So maybe 100 euros short!
I better keep my budgeting and planning skills hidden, I don’t want to become a project manager.