Skip to main content

Berlin


Sam had a school break the last week of May and we did not plan to do anything since we just did Croatia. We decided at the last minute to go to Berlin, testing my ability for quick planning which is not my usual style (I prefer over-planning and done far in advance!).  This city works well for us because there is a lot to do (especially for kids), good food and a lot of history.  


Sam and I went on Tuesday and Ryan came late Thursday due to work. I have not yet traveled just with Sam in Europe.  He has definitely learned how to handle my lack of confidence in navigating.  He refused to get on the train from the airport to downtown Berlin.  Actually we paid for the train, got on the train and then he insisted we get off because he sensed my uncertainty if we were on the right train (I was in fact uncertain).  Taxi for us! 

The first couple days were kid-focused and we left the history activities until Ryan got there. We did the Berlin Zoo and Legoland and hit the hotel swimming pool. 





After Ryan arrived we went hard on history.  But first a food tour which turned out to be full of varied and international foods such as vegan pastries, tacos, currywurst and kebab.  All of which Sam tried and liked (and also ice cream which he obviously liked).





We went to the DDR Museum which shows life in the former East Germany (known in German as the Deutsche Demokratische Republik or DDR) in an interactive way.  My favorite was Sam trying to figure out how to use a rotary phone.



We did a Berlin History Walking Tour which covered a lot of history up and through the fall of the The Berlin Wall.

Checkpoint Charlie (KFC is perfectly located next to this historical location!):


Some of The Berlin Wall that is left:


Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe:


On the last day Ryan went to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. Since Sam is too young for that, he and I went to Tiergarten Park next to our hotel so he could see the Beethoven-Haydn-Mozart Memorial. He is currently obsessed with Beethoven which is slightly different than my Red Hot Chili Peppers obsession.  







Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Morocco

For Sam's February school break we went to Morocco.  We were looking for warmth and also ready to explore beyond Europe. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency (amazing resort) in Taghazout, a small fishing village that is south of Marrakesh and north of Agadir.  More Morocco photos here:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/eATCUb6Cc4rRoyLYA February 17:  As per usual we opted for a flight that was not ideal so we could save money.  It was a later flight with a connection through Casablanca, arriving in Agadir airport close to midnight.   Sam slept on the car ride from the airport to the hotel but perked up when we found out we had been upgraded to a room with an ocean view (thanks to friend Jasper!!).  This kid continues in his quest for only the finer things. Very elaborate towel and curtain art! View from our balcony at night: View from our balcony during the day: February 18:  Today was dedicated to nothing except explo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Rotterdam

  (March 1 - 2) Rotterdam (Netherlands) was added to the travel schedule primarily because Ryan had a free Marriott night that needed to be used before it expired and we all know he won't let that go to waste ($).  It was also our last free weekend before Sam started back with his activities after his collarbone break (see separate blog entry ), mainly Sunday football.  More Rotterdam photos here:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/vA3er7NEqDfAKzzm7 We continued our commitment to food tours in every city we go to.  We had a fear that we might be the only ones on this tour and that fear was realized. That's a lot of pressure to interact with the tour guide. It was supposed to be a 4 hour tour with 6 stops and this tour lasted 5 hours with 7 stops. 😬  I thought the tour guide was going to invite us to his house by the end. But overall it was good with some typical Dutch foods but because Rotterdam is a very international city, there were some unexpected items l...
Post a Comment
Read more

Norway

  Our final leg of the Scandinavia journey was Norway. We started and ended in Oslo but much of our time was spent exploring the fjords and smaller towns.  More Norway photos here:   https://photos.app.goo.gl/9Lo5sFgQF2ScPYkV8 Wed, 8/20 – Stockholm → Oslo We flew into Oslo later in the day so only enough time for a little exploration and dinner.  One impression I have of Oslo is the social activism, not just with this small protest about fossil fuels, but the general vibe (i.e. graffiti).  All very calm but lots of opinions! The Tiger statue outside the train station. Thu, 8/21 – Oslo → Bergen Not much time in Oslo before we began our exploration of Norway.  This was the most stressful part of planning the trip and why I delegated it to Ryan. It involved piecing together various transportation modes and he thrives in planning trains, buses and water-related transportation.  It was a complex puzzle that mirrored the popular "Norway in a Nutshell" ...
1 comment
Read more