After leaving the autumnal paradise that was Ceske Krumlov we jumped on the train and headed for Berlin. Everyone who has been says' Berlin is great. They were all right. We loved it.
It's such a vibrant city which is so different to any other city in Western Europe. There is no 'old town' like you'll find in any other capital city, there are old buildings but by European standards it is all sparkly and new. It has some pretty tough history that it is still trying to deal with, but walking from East to West across the city you would hardly know that this city was once divided. There are the obvious reminders and memorials to the past, a section of the wall which has been preserved, memorials to the Holocaust victims and landmarks such as the Brandenburg gate which will always be reminders of the city's communist past. But Berlin today is an amazing city which is very obviously looking forward to the future, not forgetting the past, but not dwelling on it either.
We did a tour of all the 'sights' probably the most interesting was the site of Hitlers Bunker. Now a car park and a patch of grass where local residents take their dogs to do their 'business'. A small sign explains where you're standing, but that's it. Check point Charlie is just a touris attraction with a mock up of what it would have looked up during the time off the Wall. There are some pretty funny stories about how people tried to cross from East to West. Probably the best story of all was how the wall came down. One self inflated politician who opened his mouth at a press conference when he didn't know what he was talking about..... priceless.........
There is something about Germany, because upon returning to the city Duncan and I found ourselves, yet again out until the wee hours drinking the local brews. However this time there was the added danger of cocktails. No soft Australian cocktails. These were German Cocktails. Strong German Cocktails, no half nips and buckets of mixers, these babies where full on. Delicious as well. Dangerous.
Like everyone who I asked before coming to Berlin I don't think Duncan and I could tell you why we loved this city so much. We just did.