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. 

Inside the Reichstag dome

Lying down at the top looking up at the sky

Spot Lynnie - inside the dome

Outside the dome

View from the top

The Brandenburg gate from above

A posh afternoon tea, roof top cafe

We made our way back to our Airbnb via the Großer Tiergarten stopping to view the odd memorial along the way.

Sculptures carved in 1961 to protest the wall

War rubble

Bansky? 

Sobering sights

So far we have been totally immersed in the holocaust and horrors of World Wars, the Cold war and genocides that form the background of Berlin. There are memorials and signage and exhibitions everywhere we go. It's fascinating and macabre at the same time. Yesterday we went to the Deutsches Historisches Museum where we got a handle on the history of the country. We also realised our Airbnb in Mitte, is in what was East Berlin and is right by the Wall memorial and the 'Ghost' station of Nordbahnhof S-Bahn. These were the substations that, as the subway lines passed into and out of East Germany, were closed off and therefore empty during the Cold war. In fact many people tried to use these lines for escape.
In contrast, the Berlin of today seems like a totally free and openly tolerant of every race, orientation, religion, and whatnot bustling and vibrant city of fun and good times. Aside from the above reminders and the famous sights like the Brandenburg Gate, there are cool shops, funky buildings, hundreds of cafes, and street art everywhere. All the bridges have love locks on them, there are shows, musicals, art exhibitions, street musicians and for some reason, bears, everywhere.
We have been starting the day with a huge breakfast at a local cafe (taking some of it with us for lunch) and then meandering on foot.

A breakfast that lasts all day

Love locks on every bridge

The Germans are friendly and have a good sense of humour

It was just about to rain!

The holocaust memorial

The wall

More wall

German phone number

Hi Dad,
The phone number is

+49 152 1931 9664