Sehenswürdigkeiten (sights)

I am officially a TU Berlin student! We got our IDs which work as train passes and meal cards. Unfortunately, we can't keep them, unless we "lose" it, but then it will cost me 50 Euros. I think it's worth it..

My TU Berlin student ID

Yesterday morning was our first language class at TU Berlin. After class, we had 2 hours to go to lunch before we were to meet again for our walking tour around all of the Berlin sights. So, a group of about 7 of us went the the Zoo Beer Garden, which is about a 5 minute walk from our classroom. Lindsay, Zack, and I decided that we needed to get the full Biergarten experience, so we ordered "ein Halb" of their house beer and brats in a roll.

Zack, Lindsay, and I at the Biergarten by TU Berlin

It was so good! Needless to say, the walking tour was much more fun after that lunch... Just kidding! :) The walking tour was great though! We saw all the main sights that Berlin has to offer and our tour guide helped us with places to go back and visit. It lasted 4 hours, so my feet were dead afterwards, but it was totally worth it. The best was to describe it is probably through pictures, so here it goes!

First, we started by our school and then took the train to Hackescher Markt, which is like a really nice area to eat and shop in. Then we continued to Museum Island, which is an island in the middle of the city that has about 5 museums on it.

The Berlin Dome on Museum Island

Then we walked all the way down Unter den Linden and saw Bebelplatz and the memorial to the Book Burning that took place there during the Nazi era. At the end of Unter den Linden, we saw the Brandenburg Gate and walked under it to a memorial for the murdered European Jews of WWII. The Holocaust memorial is about 3000 steel blocks, all separated along straight lines, but cut at different heights and angles. You can walk through all the rows of blocks. The tour guide said that the artist didn't specify any symbolism or meaning to the art, it was left for the viewer to decide.

Book Burning Memorial

Lindsay & I at the Brandenburg Gate

WWII Murdered European Jews Memorial

After these, we walked to some of the remains of the Berlin Wall. It wasn't the same part we saw the other night in the train station, this was more of a touristy spot, but was still really interested. The entire way there our tour guide, Nick, told us all about how and why the city was split, and stories of how people snuck over to West Berlin. Even though it was completely closed off, the West seemed to be the place to be! On our way to the wall, we stopped at the site of Hitler's bunker, where he killed himself at the end of WWII. It is honestly in the middle of a parking lot, and cars park over it on a daily basis. Nick said that the Soviets couldn't destroy the walls of the bunker, so they are still underneath, weird to think about huh? There are apartment buildings all around it, and there is only one little marker. We were the only people there. Nick said they don't mark it out because the government doesn't want to acknowledge places like that, but rather remember those who suffered.

Hitler's Bunker, underneath those 2 parking spots

All of us on top of it

Our tour guide, Nick, in front of the Berlin Wall

Berlin Wall

There is so much history here! I think that is one of my favorite things about this place. I still have so much more to learn though.

After the tour, we napped and then four of us went back to the Markt stop for a late dinner. We found a random Russian cafe and ate there at a really cool table in the window, so we sat around there until about 12:00.

Today was a tour at an engineering firm called IAV, which is also located in Michigan. We looked around at their engine testing facilities and then we got to test drive electric MiniCoopers! Pretty awesome! When you take your foot off the gas, the car stops on its own, which took some getting used to. IAV took us to lunch at this warehouse with a bunch of really expensive cars that people can use for 60,000 Euro a year.

The bus we took to lunch, hahah

The restaurant we ate at

I'm sure there's more, but I am so tired, so I am going to take a nap before dinner tonight! We're planning a low key night, nothing too special. Tomorrow is class and a tour of the Concentration Camp Sachsenhausen. Friday we are going to Potsdam early, and then leaving for a weekend in Prague!!! I'm sure there will be much more to come soon. Missing you guys tons!! Auf Wiedersehen!