Whilst I was in Berlin, I decided to start a video diary so that I could always look back on such a brilliant experience, and I thought it would be such a nice idea, especially as I knew that as soon as I returned home, I would experience major withdrawal symptoms. Little did I know that this would begin before I even arrived back in England. I literally bawled my eyes out at the airport in Berlin whilst waiting to check in.
I am so glad that I did decide to vlog whilst I was in Berlin, because although my finished video is 25 minutes long (and this is the 'short' version - the original is 37 minutes long), I have sat and watched it about 49 times since returning home, and it's so lovely to look back and relive some wonderful memories and see how much of a great time I had. I am sure I will very much value the video as I grow older and look back on it, and I hope my friends will too.
Make sure you check out my vlog, which is attached at the bottom of this post!
Day 1 Highlights - 17|02
Despite the unhealthy meeting time of 3am at the school mini-bus park, I was as cheery as ever and greeted the group with party poppers and streamers, much to their annoyance. We all packed onto the minibuses and headed off to Stansted Airport in which would be my first ever time visiting an airport and boarding a plane *gulp*. After having my flask of tea confiscated at security and being t
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| 4am Airport Vibes |
- Met our tour guide Gabe - He is the most fascinating person ever who is just bursting with
intelligence. I could have sat and listened to him speak forever. - Mini-tour of Berlin - We got to see where some historical events took place, such as the book burnings and Hitler's Bunker.
- Visited the worlds largest chocolate shop, Fassbender and Rausch, and treated myself to some of the most delicious little chocolates ever.
- Jewish Memorial and Jewish Museum - It was very impacting to be surrounded by the memories of such a sensitive topic, and really magnified my perspective on the whole idea. I feel very honoured to have been able to experience this.
- Restaurant Nolle (1920s Themed) - My first try at "living like a German" resulted in me ordering a Schnitzel which was absolutely delicious. German dishes are also absolutely humongous compared to what we have back home, which was well needed after such a long day filled with lots of walking.
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| Brandenburg Gate made from CHOCOLATE |
- Story of Berlin Museum/Nuclear Bunker - A really cool, interesting museum. I really like how this place was set out, because rather than the traditional style museum with random artefacts placed plainly in a dead space, the museum is more engaging, and kind of makes you feel as though you were actually in the setting in which it is trying to portray. The Nuclear Bunker is attached to the museum, and is quite creepy but very cool. I find it hard to believe that people really had to live in such a way.
- Topography of Terror - A museum which gives very detailed accounts about Nazi control. I found this to be one of the most impacting visits of the trip, just because it really reveals the extent of the terror the Nazis and Secret Police inflicted on people. Some of the stories are very haunting, and I would have like to have spent some more time here, as there was a lot that I didn't get round to seeing.
- Checkpoint Charlie - We didn't stay here long, and although it was pretty awesome to stand in such a significant place, it is now just a cliché tourist attraction where people are trying to make money (there are pretend soldiers who stand at the checkpoint and charge ridiculous amounts to take photos with tourists which I feel ruins the sight in all honesty)
- Brandenburg Gate - It gives a great photo-opt and I feel we had an even greater experience at the Gate than most, thanks to Gabe giving us details on the significance of the landmark and all that has happened in the surrounding areas of it. It was rather interesting.
Sass Squad at the Brandenburg Gate - The Reichstag - One of my main highlights of the whole trip; the views on top of the building are absolutely spectacular, and the weather was great for us, which was a bonus. Again, we had Gabe to describe the history of the building, which really added to the experience.
- Mini-Shopping Trip - I was thrilled to be able to squeeze in a tiny bit of shopping in the trip during a lunch break at a Mall. I only bought some new sunglasses (which were completely necessary as the weather was beautiful) and some jewellery, but I left as a very happy little Lauren.
- Pergamon Museum - Wow. This place is incredible. It features the Ishtar Gate which dates back to 575 BC, which is mind-blowing. Gabe got us to approach the gate looking at the floor and then look up, and our reactions were priceless. I can't possibly describe how magnificent it is, but if you do ever find yourself in Berlin, definitely check it out, you will be pleasantly surprised.
- Sophieneck - Dinner consisted of German meatballs, and let me tell you, the Germans really do not hold back with their food. There was literally about 3 dinners worth of food on one plate, but once again, it was very tasty.
Our group in front of the Ishtar Gate
Day 3 Highlights - 19|02
- Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp - I was quite nervous about visiting the concentration camp because I knew it was going to be another highly impacting event of the trip. Although it did really have a strong effect on me, Gabe once again changed my viewing of the situation by describing how the prisoners managed survived rather than the gruesome stories on how they were tortured and slaughtered. He did give both accounts, but it was very inspiring to hear how the prisoners still managed to find the positives in the situation. Again, this will be one of the greatest memories of the trip.
- The Jewish Museum - This museum was different to the one from day 1, and is actually very clever in the way it engages with the visitors. The museum itself is basically a sculpture, and focuses on the entire Jewish history, rather than just the Holocaust. One of the highlights from the museum, was the Holocaust Void, which is a pitch black, confined room with a very tall ceiling which has a tiny split of light, and I actually had to leave immediately after I had entered, just from the impact it had on me. Every visitor interprets the museum differently, and my interpretations just made me very uncomfortable, so I didn't feel like I could stay. The representations of the various parts of the museum are very interesting, so I would definitely recommend visiting the museum if you get the chance, whether you are interested in History or not. It's quite mind-boggling.
- 12 Apostel - This restaurant is based under a rail-bridge, which sounds strange but its actually really cool. The ceiling is painted with incredible detail, and the restaurant serves the most amazing pizzas and salads (which I know isn't German, but trust me, there portion sizes definitely stuck to German traditions). Our group was split onto 2 tables, and each table ordered about 10 pizzas to share between everyone, along with some various salad dishes. I was defeated pretty quickly in comparison to everyone else, but our table still won the race to finish, so all was good.
Inside one of the prisoner's cabins at the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, having a talk from Gabe
Day 4 Highlights - 20|02
- The GDR Museum - By day 4, I had come to the conclusion that Berlin has some of the coolest museums ever. The GDR Museum is super interactive and includes dressing up stands, driving stimulation and integration rooms all inspired by life in Germany during the Cold War. We all had a lot of fun here, and it was nice to be able to act like a 10 year old again and roam free.
- Raddison Blu Hotel - WOW. I really don't know how else to describe it. Although we didn't actually go to the hotel for anything else but to look inside, I am so glad we did. The hotel features a huge, central elevator which is surrounded by a cylindrical aquarium. I will most certainly be going back there one day, and maybe actually to stay in the hotel next time.
- East Side Gallery - A trip to Berlin would not be complete without a walk alongside the famous street art of the remains of the Berlin Wall. It is truly spectacular, and being an Art student myself, I was mesmerized. I love how symbolic every piece is, and I think it is such a great idea to ensure that the significance and the extent of the division of Germany will never be forgotten.
- Soviet War Memorial - Gabe gave us a tour of the memorial and informed us about its origins. It's quite spectacular. Most of the information is in Russian, so I would advise reading into it beforehand if you do choose to visit, but it's very impressive and definitely well worth the look.
- Berlin Wall Memorial - This features a remaining section of the Berlin Wall, which has preserved 'no-mans-land' as well as the wall itself. It was quite scary to see, and know that people felt they had no choice but to attempt to cross the deadly strip in order to gain the freedom they deserved. I can't imagine how terrifying it must have been to be in that situation, but I am glad I got to see the memorial, as it really have an important impact on me. There was also a mini-museum about the Berlin Wall, which I found quite sad, as it goes into detail about some families that were separated, and how people had to leave absolutely everything they owned so that they could escape to the West.
Our group in front of the Soviet War Memorial
If anyone is planning a trip to Berlin, definitely consider checking out some of the places I've mentioned, especially those fellow History enthusiasts! I found the trip to be absolutely incredible, and will certainly be going back there in the near future, to spend a little more time at the places which were time-limited and explore some more to find some hidden gems of Berlin. The trip will forever be one of my fondest memories, and I feel so privileged to have been a part of trip, and experience some amazing places with some amazing people.
Have you ever been to Berlin?
What were the highlights of your trip?
What countries would you recommend visiting?
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