Day 1 - Walls, Check Points and Gypsies

Day 1 - Berlin

3.00am the alarm went off and after a night sleep of about 3 hours, because of excitement from the both of us, I was up and ready to face the now daunting task of touring Europe for 50 days. On the car trip to the station my stomach felt like it was going to do a backflip up my throat and cartwheel out my mouth, but Mel seemed so calm!! After a quick check in and a lovely breakfast at Frankie & Bennies Deli, we where in the air and after what seemed like a quick flight, which I slept through and managed to drool all over Mel, we landed in Berlin. Arriving at 9.30am and from the time we got into the room, 9.30pm, it was none stop!

Our first view of Berlin, was from it's underground, a vibe of old, strongly mixed with new technology, snake like trains with televisions sharing the newest news and culture reports travel through the tired and worn looking underground. On finding the Hostel and realising that Mel had picked well, we ventured off into the city ignoring the helpful receptionist on the front desk telling us to take the U trains (tube) and instead decided to walk. I do wonder sometimes why me and Mel insist on walking EVERYWHERE!

Is it the fact we think we will miss something or the more realistic idea that we (more me) are tight with the cash, who knows! Let's just say that Berlin is big and very well spred out. But I'm glad we walked because of the things we saw and learnt. Like on the way to Check Point Charlie and finding a part of the Berlin wall which had been turned into an outside museum about the terrors that have plagued the city since the Nazi party rising to power all the way up to the fall of the Berlin wall. After this we continued on to Check Point Charlie to find it ruined by 2 out of work actors dressed as american soldiers manning the checkpoint. It just felt wrong with them there so we moved on quickly to get a bite to eat but that was also ruined by gypsies begging for change and not giving up! We buckled and gave in offering the 1/4 of a can of Coke that we had, which she took and tipped the contents onto the street. She then managed to get a friend and follow us halfway to our next stop! After a long walk taking in the sites of Berlin we ended up at the Sony centre, an impressive complex of shops, museums, cinemas and get ready for this..... A LEGOLAND! After Mel offering (sign of true love? I think so!) to pay for the mental price of the place, I realised that it would not be worth it and had 20 minutes in the shop instead. The next couple of hours was taken up by an impressive film museum on the history of German cinema and a walk along the star road, which had a brilliant holagram viewer thing! We finished off the day, and our tired feet, with another big walk taking in the holocaust tribute, Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island, and TV Tower, before tucking into an over priced sausage and some very lovely potato salad. Holding in a wee, no loo at the restaurant, the walk back to the hostel was powered by the fact we would be able to lay down and rest.