We limped onto the platform at Berlin HBF at 4:30 am.  First time traveling by train and we didn't sleep quite as we had hoped.  Not the most opportune time for arrival either, but we made the best of our space in the near empty streets of Berlin and got situated for the day by negotiating the baggage drop, paying to go have a pee (that was new for us), grabbing a couple cafe latte, borrowing the Starbucks wi-fi signal, and then scoping out the nearest tourist info space so we could source some Berlin Welcome cards.

Then it was to the streets, and a pre-dawn walk through some of the most popular areas in Mitte (just us and the two burly polezei that we encountered).  Just across the River Spree from Berlin HBF is the Reichstag, German parliament.  This impressive building, and the huge glass dome at the top, glowed in the evening light. We encountered a crew on a zoom boom here cleaning windows and doing what looked like some spring maintenance after a long winter. The street signs were a who's who of 20th Century names. Willy Brandt Strasse, Otto von Bismarck Allee... we felt like we were getting close to something!!!

Our next stop was Brandenburger Tor (Gate).  This triumphal arch is one of the most photographed sites in Germany.  From marching troops of the Wehrmacht, to Soviet soldiers raising the hammer and sickle, or images of this area being freed from the shadows of the Berlin Wall, its symbolic nature has played an important role in global history. Janie got some great shots just before dawn from Pariserplatz.  We were the only people there!

After admiring the space we headed into Tiergarten (Berlin's centrally positioned public park space) to view the Soviet Memorial erected to honor soldiers that died in the battle of Berlin. With roses on the monument (not to mention what looked like partly finished vodka bottles that seemed to have been shared as a toast) the memorial was framed with two WWII era tanks and had a very active feel.  The location, in what became "West Berlin", must have made for some interesting visits.

As the sun began to brighten a cool Berlin sky, we trudged back to the HBF to have another coffee and secure two Berlin Welcome Cards, that we would use for transit, attractions, and especially Museum Island.  We grabbed them at a DB ticket counter (only to find out later we could have got them directly from one of the Subway ticket machines). With those in hand we were off to the races and took the subway back in to Pariserplatz. Both the subway and streets were getting much busier as the city headed for work (holy clean subway).

Around the corner, about a block from Brandenburg Gate, is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.  The monument consists of a series of carefully placed stones and walkways referred to as the "field of stelae".  It exudes a coldness, being very stark in design.  There is uniformity, but mixed with a variability as the height of the stones constantly changes.  The polished stones cover what would be an entire city block.   We wandered through the walkways and further, across the street to find a monument nestled in an alcove in Tiergarten which commemorates Homosexuals and their persecution during the era of National Socialism, Memorial to Homosexuals persecuted under Nazism. The monuments we encountered left one with a sense that he/she had found a people very much trying to come to terms with their history.  We were to return to the Memorial Interpretive Centre later in the day to view the exhibits that rest below the actual monument, as well as drop by an eatery in the strip beside the memorial for an authentic German lunch!

A short block away from the memorial (surely not a coincidence) is an obscure sign nestled in an apartment building parking lot.  The interpretive sign notes the site of the Fuhhrerbunker, the underground concrete home of the third reich in Berlin.  A brief history, as well as known lay out, is also part of the information provided.  Further, it notes we were "above" the site where Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun committed suicide in April of 1945.  Putting a sign on this site was interesting to me... it's understated nature suggests the acknowledgement that there is absolutely nothing to be celebrated... But perhaps marked so that people can learn and remember. It was all, in some way, delicate.

We headed south another block or so to Potsdamerplatz.  This bustling era was busy with commuters transferring and Berlin Bus Tours gathering.  Lots of shopping here as well, as we did enter a mall here in search of a WC (bathrooms are marked WC for "Water Closet" I think).  There are several remnants of the Berlin Wall left behind that passersby view every day, as well as the route of bricks or metal (inset in the pavement of streets) that follows the path of the wall. Along this part of our journey we had found online another Museum dedicated to revealing and educating of the horrors of the NAZI era named the "Topography of Terror". Located on the once "Secret Security" headquarters, this museum, in no uncertain terms, analyzes the conditions and actions of National Socialism in the 1930's and 40's in Germany.  It's a tough exhibit... the content, the sentiment, the setting all lending to inform visitors of Germany's terrible past while serving as a careful reminder so it may never occur again.

As we approached late morning, we headed for the famous "Checkpoint Charlie", the onetime  gateway from the American sector into East Berlin.  A recreation of the gatepost, signs, sandbags, and flags remain at the site.  We snapped a few photos and wandered the area, then entered the Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie!.  This was a fun one!  The museum was packed (and this is literal) with information, artifacts, stories in print and video from ceiling to floor.  The focus of the museum is the Cold War era and, especially, how it affected Berliners in the divided city.  There were great stories of fantastic escape attempts (both successful and not) displaying artifacts such as retrofitted cars with secret compartments. Tunnels, folding ladders, small planes... A testament to mans desire for freedom and limited only by their own imagination.  Great stop and I think we even nailed a discount using the Berlin WelcomeCard.

At this point we turned and decided to walk through central Berlin, taking in the fantastic architecture of the Gendarmenmarkt, Bebelplatz (the site of NAZI book burnings in Berlin), and the famous Unter Linden and the tree lined streets of Berlin's main drag.  After completing the loop we returned to gather our bags at the Berlin HBF station and commute to our accommodations, the Novotel - Berlin in Mitte.  By the time we had arrived and got checked in, we were both ready for some rest... so it was a quick shower and what became a substantial late afternoon snooze.  It was much needed and put all back in order!

At about 6:00 pm we headed for the Alexanderplatz area, another key commuter hub bustling with shoppers and tourists. The evening was designed to take in a site or two while lending to some relaxation.  Our first evening stop was the Fernsehturm, Berlin's towering communication tower that overlooks the city.  Once again, we used our WelcomeCards to discount tickets.  Great ride up with a wonderful view of the lights of Berlin.  Although I'm never comfortable with heights, this one ranks as okay by me as it forgoes the glass floors and elevators with windows!!!

By this time we had a "hunger" on.  I had identified online, prior to leaving home, a beer garden that I thought would be excellent to try.  Löwenbräu am Gendarmenmarkt was located just a short distance from our accommodations and seemed to be a logical choice.  When we first arrived, we weren't entirely sure we would go in but got a peek at the menu outside and decided all was fine. Glad we did because we really had a great evening.  From top to bottom, be it our excellent server, through to the food, beer and music, we thoroughly enjoyed the experience.  We had, for the first time, a couple of those huge 1 litre mugs of beer, as well as a great sampling of Bavarian foods from a platter that allowed us to experiment.  Several hours later we had a quiet walk home for a glass of wine and some much deserved rest. Really a very comfortable evening and excellent way to end a marathon day in Berlin.