More walls to tear down- Berlin wall sections with an important message
There is something wonderful in travelling to a place you'd not planned on going and have done minimal preparation prior to the trip.
After deciding I was not healthy enough (bad cold) to enjoy the outdoors in Iceland or the Ice Hotel in Sweden, both of which I gave serious consideration to and had done a lot of research on. So I still wanted to go away during the work week when my "good friend from Australia" (yep apparently that is how he described me to someone he works with :-/ ) had to go to work. He suggested I consider Berlin.
There were direct flights to Berlin from Bristol at a reasonable time of the day, with easyJet which I'd not heard anything bad about, unlike Ryanair which also had a number of flights from Bristol airport. It did seem to fly to a secondary airport - something I'd heard about some of those budget airlines, yet quick internet research it seemed the Berlin one was still on the Berlin railway system. So I made my booking Monday afternoon to fly the following day.
The closest I had been to Germany prior to then was probably when I had travelled to Austria a number of times for work back when I worked in Belgrade - and the currency of choice had been the deutsche mark - pretty sure I still have a collection of notes and coins I was stuck with after the Euro came in.
Usually when I travel I will buy a great travel book (I like DK guides) and consume it constantly in advance of my trip. Going to Berlin I did none of this. I'd booked the hotel and flight as a package deal - I knew which station was closest to my hotel courtesy of google map directions. I thought a hotel close to Check Point Charlie was probably in an interesting location. As an Asian Studies Graduate I can give you a great potted history on pretty much any Asian Country but my knowledge on Germany is pretty vague and sketchy. I have some wonderful German friends met when working in Pakistan, but knew little of their country.
Staying close by Checkpoint Charlie sections of the Berlin Wall were close by - so many decorated by international artists, some just lovely some strange and many with messages calling for peace.
"Many small people, who in many small places, do many small things, can alter the face of the world."
Sounds like quite an adventure! I'd be terrified - but then I'm always terrified of travel, even when I know where I'm going!
Interesting decorations on the wall too.
Interesting decorations on the wall too.