Once in Berlin we had an educational taxi ride to the hotel. Our driver spoke great English and gave us a German language lesson. I learned some anatomy (finger -> finger, hand -> hand, arm -> arm, knee -> knie, elbow -> ellenbogen) and a few other important words (water -> wasser, beer-> bier). I think I’m ready.

Fact: We did not know it was Berlin Fashion Week when we chose when to take the trip. It is also true that we did not know our hotel was one of the hosting hotels for the event when we booked it. I don’t think this information would have caused us to change our plans.

We didn’t have a lot of energy for sightseeing the first day, so we took a short walk from our hotel to Brandenburg Gate, and then over to the Holocaust Memorial.

Not a very good picture of Brandenburg Gate. I don’t know those three dudes in front of it.

Self Portrait: Jason (right) and me (left) staring in awe at Brandenburg Gate.

The Holocaust Memorial was a very powerful way to begin our visit to Berlin. It is a multi-acre collection of undulating concrete slabs with a “place of information” underneath.

A small section of the almost 5 acres of the Holocaust Memorial

The exhibit underneath told the story of the Holocaust first in a linear manner, followed by rooms dedicated to individuals’ stories and the names of all known victims of the Holocaust. It would be impossible to tell the stories of the six million Jews who were affected by the Holocaust, but using the hand-written diaries and letters of dozens of individuals telling their first hand stories, contrasted with the cold impersonal concrete environment of the exhibits, helped to personalize the horrors of the Holocaust.

Visitors at the Holocaust Memorial

Exhausted, we found a good Indian restaurant on the way back to the hotel and enjoyed our first beirs, along with curry and lamb.

Ahh.

Thanks, Jason, but I think we’ll just use the picture I took.