Berlin!

Berlin was quite the experience. I didn't know really what to expect: students I didn't know, a new city, and missing a week of school. In the end, it was absolutely amazing. I was too busy to even write this!!

We stayed at the Circus Hostel in the old East. It was really nice and clean, and apparently used to have a really cool bar in the basement, but it was closed for renovation. However, there was lots of nightlife everywhere, so it wasn't like that was a problem.

Some of the highlights of our trip:

1) The Reichstag. By contacting them ahead of time, you can get a guided tour behind the scenes AND you don't have to wait in line to see the top. The tour guide was really excellent, the architecture was awesome, and the view beautiful, even on a rainy day. Another option to skip the line is to get a reservation at the resturant that it is on the roof.

2) The Television Tower. Also a long line, but a symbol of East Berlin that you can't miss.

3) Haeckeshe Markt. The market is really cool, with lots of produce and handmade stuff. The courtyards (Hoefe) were also really quaint, with lots of shops and cute cafes.

4) The Holocaust Memorial. A privately funded memorial, it sits between the Reichstag and Potsdamer Platz. A countermemorial, it's not just something that you look at, it is something that you interact with and have to decide how to interact with when you are there.

5) Schloss Charlottenburg. A marvelous castle that was bombed almost completely during World War Two, but restored beautifully now. There is also a cute cafe called the Orangerie (where they still store orange trees and other summer plants during the winter) by the castle, which was a nice break after walking around.

6) Potsdam. A daytrip using the S-bahn with lovely castles & gardens.

But, in general, everything was amazing!