Berlin - December 2024

We may have been brought to Berlin by business, but the trip had plenty more to offer - from history and introspection to fun and holiday cheer. I met Jacob in Berlin for a weekend of sightseeing. Upon checking into the hotel, I was treated to a lovely view of the television tower from our balcony, which also offered a view of plenty of passing trains.

After Jacob found his way over, we set out to find some dinner. We settled in for burgers at the BBQ Kitchen, where we enjoyed a chill adult contemporary playlist from our rotisserie chicken-forward seats. With food in our bellies, we ventured over to the Vault, a fancy bar with delicious cocktails and a burlesque-y vibe. We capped off the night with some wine in our room, whilst debating whether the golf ball was rotating or not.

The next day we were scheduled for a tour about the horrors of Nazi Germany. After purchasing some big corny bars from a metro convenience store, we tracked down our tour group and embarked on an engaging and thought-provoking tour. There are tons of memorials scattered across Berlin, and the path of the Berlin Wall can be traced through the city. The memorial to the disappearing Jews is particularly haunting, and the debate over what to do with the parking lot built over top of Hitler's former bunker quite interesting. The delicate compromise of preserving unfortunate parts of our past to make sure we remember and don't repeat the same mistakes is something Berlin confronts practically on every corner.

After following the McDonald's signs to Checkpoint Charlie, we embarked on our afternoon of musical events. We started with an Opera-ish community performance at a beautiful concert hall. Between the pre-show bubbles and the balloon-filled grand finale, it was a fun time. Before our next show, we snuck in a German meal at the cheeky Zolpakhof. After a slightly wet walk through a park and a quick stop at a Christmas market for dessert (a zebra Germknodle), we found ourselves at the opera house, ready for a night with the symphony. We felt very fancy sipping our Cremant with a side of soft pretzel during intermission!

We had one more morning to enjoy in Berlin before heading home, so we downloaded a Rick Steves audio guide and took a stroll down Unter den Linden. We walked through a metro station that was out of commission during Communist times, and stopped by a delightful Christmas market that was also the home of the empty library memorial. After promenading by extravagant architecture, it was time to head to the airport, our minds full of our new memories of a fascinating city.