gollygoshgumgoonz: Ghost stations and murals on the wall

Today we visited the photographic exhibition of the Nordbahnhof station, which we had glimpsed the day we arrived to learn a little bit more about the Wall and the dramas surrounding the stations and train lines that passed below some of East Berlin between stations in West Berlin. This led to another memorial site dedicated to the people who lost their lives trying to escape or in some cases, getting caught in the cross fire.

"Deported 1943 murdered in Auschwitz"

These plaques are outside all the houses of people who were taken and sent to death camps. So sad.

One does not simply walk into Mordor!

Our Local. They brought us coffee after the second day, as soon as we entered.

Nordbahnhof Station - one of the 'Ghost' stations that passed under East Berlin going from one station to the next in West Berlin. They had these barricaded up.

Plaques showing where the barricades were preventing access (the subway was a potential escape area)

A memorial to the lives lost at the wall during escape attempts or from cross fire, and so on.

A piece of the wall at the memorial

We then walked a looong way to the East Side Gallery. This is an open air exhibition of some 105 paintings by artists from all over the world, painted in 1990 on the east side of the Berlin Wall as a lasting international memorial for freedom. Moving stuff.

Good!

Cos Obelix makes me laugh

The area close to the East Side Gallery is a bit alternative. Here is a beach bar!

And some cool art

More art

We caught the train back to town getting there just in time to visit the 'Reichstag' - the restored Parliament House with the rooftop dome for some panoramic views of Berlin, and a cup of tea in the very posh rooftop cafe.