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Family Reflections:
German trains have changed in the last 25 years. What once was the always on-time, no changes system, is now the delayed/changes without warning, a tad confusing system. Very surprising, but confirmed by the locals. Never thought Spanish trains would be better with this regard, but they are officially the winner at this point!
Dare I say, I'm enjoying beer quite a bit around these parts! B.C. of course is too! We love the BIG mugs. Das Boot!
Ok, never rented a car around here, but OMG, the drive from Munich, through the Alps, to Italy is spectacular! We got our fill of fall foliage, plus striking barren peaks, mounding cliffs, vineyards, and crystal blue-green river water.
Berlin We loved our time here, but it was tough learning about and being around all the hard history here...some not that long ago. We encourage anyone who can to come and "feel" this place. It's not necessarily fun (although we did have fun), but it's heavy, however worthy of learning. The gray skies might have influenced this a bit.
Kids were sold with fun "reactive potion" drinks our first night! Much different liability, as there's just dry ice in the drink. The waiter did eventually come over to tell the kids not to drink that part. 🤣
Ok, so we decided to do a different kind of tour this time to see the city...a Trabi Tour! Trabis (Trabants) were THE car, like the only car, that East Berliners could get. One cost about a year's wages and took over ten years to actually procure. They stopped being made when the wall came down, but now you can tour with them. Other than the exhaust, we loved it! Lots of photos taken of us as we drove through the streets.
Prepping for action! The gear shifter is very different, hence the practice.
Taught Waylon and Amari how to unroll a car window and how to open an old school car door...nothing is automatic for you young folk!
Brandenburg Gate (in the mirror), a symbol of unity after the wall fell, since it was in the restricted part between East and West during the Cold War.
The Reichstag (German federal parliment) Building
Karl Marx Allee with the TV Tower in the background.
Town Hall...one of the only buildings to remain intact after WWII.
On a halftime break, we looked at the engine and learned that the 27 liter gas tank had to be checked manually with a dip stick every so often to know how much gas you had left (no gas gauge).
East Side Gallery from the Trabi.
Some of the many Berlin Bears around town.
Mall Afternoon...found a slide from two stories up!
And another LEGO shop...not nearly as impressive as some of the others, but a small Berlin Town Hall.
Small skate park by us made from old cars (the tires are the stops on top).
Checkpoint Charlie (the only crossing for foreigners or allied forces from West to East Berlin).
Instantly, we all fell in love with Amplemann (the East Berlin walk signal that has been memorialized). We see a witch on a broom a lot, which was perfect since Halloween was approaching!
We had an amazing guide, Nickolai, who walked us through a Cold War perspective of Berlin sights and stories. He lived through Communism as a young boy, and considers himself fortunate that his dad was able to get himself out, and then his wife and son through various avenues. He went back to Berlin after falling in love with it later in life, and has been tour guiding for the past 10 years. He told many incredible stories about escapes, neighbor spies (about a 1:30 ratio of spy:citizen...which is a ton), life behind the wall, life after the wall, and how people who were "spies/Stasi" are treated now.
A part of the Berlin Wall, near the Nazi Regime of power in Berlin during WWII. Now, the area houses "The Topography of Terror", explaining the power gains and terrors of the Nazi Regime before, during, and right after WWII.
Ghost Stations (train stations that were closed during the Cold War, armed with gunmen, to ensure West Berliners didn't mingle with East Berliners as they passed through areas).
You can see on the map how West Berlin (the yellow dot in the middle of the orange...part of West Germany) was surrounded by East Germany.
These Ghost Stations are relics in time since nobody used them for so long. This font was pointed out in the station as being banned in present day script because Nazi propoganda used it, so it has ill feelings for many people.
Ok, sorry, a ton of writing in this section. We just learned so much about the Cold War on this tour. This is a "view", which didn't exist during the Cold War, into the Death Strip, and then you can see the Berlin Wall through it. West Berliners could be right next to the wall on their side, but East Berliners rarely saw the wall, since it was separated with another wall and the Death Strip, guarded by soldiers and towers, where you were killed if you entered.
Memorial of the wall along a long stretch in the once French district.
This photo of an East Berlin soldier "escaping" over the barbed wire (used as Stage One of the wall) became famous. Unfortunately, he didn't necessarily know all the ramifications for his family, friends, community, and led a very sad, depressed life after the fact.
These memorials showed escape tunnel paths from East to West. Many West Berliners would try to help tunnel through as well. This "Tunnel 57" led 57 people to freedom. There were many tunnels, many unsuccessful, and even Stasi tunnels to try to find escapee tunnels.
East Side Gallery is the longest remaining section of the Berlin Wall. It's 1.3km long, and has been an open air gallery since a year after the wall fell. Artists from over the world create messages of freedom here. It's a sight to be seen!
Munich
Amari and I as Flamenco dancers! Jack-O-Lantern meat?!?, courtesy of Amari.
Happy Halloween from Germany! Not too much going on for the kid front, but we happily trick-or-treated at our own hotel door. Haribo and bubble gum tape to the rescue!
Waylon went as a tourist. We got creative!
We loved these church doors, so the kids pretended to trick-or-treat there!
You may have heard of the Glockenspiel (Marienplatz), but it's actually really awesome to witness. The top scene of the clock shows the celebration of the Duke's marriage to Renata de Lorraine in 1568, with a joust fight, then the bottom scene shows the coopers' dance, coming out to the street to tell everyone that it was ok to socialize again after the plague in 1517. Pretty cuckoo, with the golden rooster hailing the three chirps of the Glockenspiel's end performance. It's 15 minutes long (but doesn't seem it)!
Frauenkirche, a pretty Catholic church, with twin towers (one of which you can climb to look out over Munich). Many stories abound here.
I mean, the lampposts we've seen throughout Europe are way more fun than at home!
Darn these LEGO stores!
We thought about it...B.C. and Waylon wouldn't commit to wearing Lederhosen! Amari and I were game. Sidenote: When asked how men clean their Lederhosen (leather), a popular answer is to put them in the freezer to kill anything. 🤢
The kids try really hard to get tastes of the wine and beer of the regions we're in, but we just couldn't resist them trying to lift the big liter mugs.
Theatine Church next to the Englischer Garten. We happened here on All Saints Day, a national holiday here, and were flooded with incense!
We were intrigued by the painted on stylings of these "old buildings". Restored after war, but simply didn't expect the painted facades. Quite quirky and mesmerizing...like an Alice in Wonderland affect.
Shout out to all you music peeps...clef railing!
River surfing anyone? This is nuts, as the "wave machine" pushes water through. There are so many warning signs posted about death if you do this, but it's legally illegal (overlooked) and the pros come out daily to practice. Females represent too...one of the best of the lot we watched.
Swans are literally everywhere on our trip, with many teenage, gray fluffy ones about. The kids cannot get enough of the bird scene, much to our chagrin.
I mean, just a beautiful day in Munich! We love the society for biergartens within parks. So much socializing, playing, excersizing, and having fun around the park. I mean, if a bretzel (pretzel) is bigger than your head, and your bier is hard to hold, you know the park's a winner!
Castle Day! Schloss Neuschwanstein (think of Disney's inspiration) and Linderhof Palace
Schloss Hohenschwangau
(King Ludwig II lived here as a kid, but it was his father's castle).
Gorgeous view over Hohenschwangau of the Alpsee (lake).
The fog played peek-a-boo this morning, but we lucked out with many gorgeous views.
Schloss Neuschwanstein
It really is impressively large from beneath.
The entrance, and only colored exterior.
En route to Marienbrüke (a bridge with the stunning view of Neuschwanstein).
It's a ton of photos, I know, but I really love the fog and sun transitions over only 20 minutes of watching from Marienbrüke. It was so hard to leave (not for Waylon...he didn't love the bridge height over the beautiful death canyon below, plus the shaking planks).
I mean, seriously, GORGEOUS!
And then the fog rolled back in as we hiked up a bit higher.
Linderhof Palace was the only building project that King Ludwig II actually lived to see completed. He ran out of money many times, but died at an early age as well. There's a ton of interesting stories and history about him.
Hamburg (back in Germany for a quick stop en route up to Copenhagen)
Can definitely tell the sun is much lower than down South!
A huge harbor town, and one you can tell people are proud of and there's a cool rejuvenation vibe here.
Hamburg Rathaus (Townhall)
Found a U-Boat Museum on the docks and when you find a U-Boat, you go inside.
Amari being hunted down by a torpedo!
Walking through how little space there actually is inside, with only four of us, is nuts. I don't know how so many grown men actually lived and worked these things for months at a time.
Brüke 10 Fish Sandwiches, right on the docks. A staple here where they truly highlight the fish and crab...like it's bread and fish...and delicious!
Yup, I did take a photo of the food. 😳
Harbor Ferry ...you know it's a serious canal area when the harbor ferries are on the same transport card as the Metro.
Spicy's Gewürzmuseum was a fun change of pace on the museum front. Lots to touch and smell and even taste!
I especially loved it here and can't wait to cook with some new spice blends!
The Miniatur Wunderland...it's grown so big (ha ha) that it crosses the bridge into another building, and they keep growing the exhibits.
I mean, it's busy in here (although we went later and the crowds died down after a bit), but it is a sight to behold. I think Waylon's eyes grew bigger when we walked in...and B.C.'s did a bit too (I'm told that this is pretty much every boys dream, but Amari and I loved it too).
Paying homage to Amari's love of music and cows.
I mean, moving trains, flying planes, cars driving on roads, hot air balloons going up, people moving, lights going on and off, boats docking in real water, volcanoes exploding, amusement rides running...it's nuts!
The Wunderland's mission control center watches nonstop to operate the moving parts.
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