Christine in Berlin, Germany

Paris
Rome
Berlin
Tokyo
London
New York

They are all major cities in the world.  What's most interesting about Berlin?  It's been 25 years since the Wall fell.  And though it has been 69 years since WWII, buildings still show remnants of the fighting.  The Pergamon Museum has damage.  Ordinary buildings have damage.  It shows just what war does.  And how long it takes to recover from devastation.  

The Pergamon Museum also has the Greek Pergamon Altar and Frieze from the second century BC.  This masterpiece shows the struggle between the gods and the titans.  Amazingly, about 85 percent survived.  The Gigantomachy Frieze includes a couple panels that are largely intact.  There is Athena fighting Alkyoneus and another of Zeus.

The museum includes the Market Gate of Miletus.

Also shown is the Ishtar Gate, from 575 BC.  This is the gate to Babylon.

The Neues (New) Museum contains the Queen Nefertit bust, from approximately 1340 BC.  No pictures allowed.  But the detail and beauty are exquisite.  An example:

I also toured the Reichstag, Germany's historical parliament building.  The original dom (dome) was destroyed during WWII.  They built the new dom as glass to symbolize a transparent government.  I climbed the spiral ramp 755 feet to the top.  (All bit running up and then down it).  The top of the dome is 155 feet above ground.  Onside the dome, a cone of mirrors reflects the light.  The top of the dome is open.  You can see the whole city from the top of the Reichstag to include the Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate).The Brandenburg Gate is crowned by the Goddess of Peace.  Interestingly, Napoleon tool the statue to the Louvre in 1806 but after the Prussians defeated him in 1813, they took it back.  She is now the Goddess of Victory.

How you climb to the top.

Outside the Reichstag.

The Reichstag from further way.  

The Brandenburg Gate at night, from the Reichstag.

Right by the Gate is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.  The concrete pillars are hollow and coated to easily remove graffiti.

The Berlin Mauer (Wall) was the most drawling part of my visit.  You don't understand the enormity of it until you see it in person.  There was an inner and outer wall.  So a big no man's land existed that someone who wanted to go to the West had to pass.  The West side had slates on the bottom to stop vehicles.  And pipe covered the top so that people couldn't grip and jump over it.  Bernauerstrasse has a large surviving section of the wall.  Plus a guard tower.  The government made a decision to keep parts of the wall.  There is a bit over by Check Point Charlie.  But they also left up another large section at the Berlin Wall Memorial (which is closed for renovation) at Bernauer Strasse.  There you can see the inner wall and outer wall (larger one).  You can also see some slabs moved after being replaced.  And the graffiti is still on them.  

Slabs that were replaced and left.  

Check Point Charlie is a bit (and by bit I mean hugely) commercialized.  But I went anyway.  Because I'm that good of a tourist.  One thing I did not get, was why put the German version last?  Um, we are in Deutschland?

People actually paid for the luxury of taking a photo with an actor.  

The best irony of Germany is displayed in Berlin.  During the war, the Gedachtniskirche (Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church) was bombed.  They are renovating the church.  Fixing up the foundation.  Go figure.  This was pretty much the only thing I visited in West Berlin.

Visit Berlin.  Love it like the rest of us.

Christine 

Christine in Strasbourg, France

Because you can't visit France too often.  Some pictures of the buildings of this lovely French city.

 I also ate while visiting.  But no food pictures this go round.  Only good food and pictures.

Christine

Christine in Zermatt, Switzerland

It's that wonderful time of year again--ski season!  And I finally saw the Matterhorn.  It is the mountain summit between Switzerland and Italia, at 4,478 meters (14,691 feet).  It is one of the highest peaks in the Alps.  The Matterhorn has a pyramid shape to it.  You may be familiar with it because it is on the Toblerone candy.  Yes, it is on the wrapper.  It is breathtakingly beautiful.  There is a Klein Matterhorn  across from the Matterhorn, but I didn't take a picture of it.  (I am working on my photography skills.  This is with my point and shoot camera not the fancy one.)

Matterhorn from Zermatt, Switzerland.

Matterhorn from the Italia side.

Matterhorn from the slopes, Switzerland.

You ski on a glacier.  And can visit both the Swiss and Italian Alps.  I recommend eating on the Italian side.  Not only is the food amazing, but it is cheaper.  The runs are fun and there are cable cars to connect both sides.  Though if the winds are too much, there is a T-bar from the Swiss side to the Italian side.  It is a long ride.  Ask me how I know.  But worth it.

What better way to spend Thanksgiving then on the slopes.  The Europeans try to do an American Thanksgiving.  But it is just not the same.  Something is always a little off.  Not bad, but not like home. Overall, the food at the hotel was quite good.  (You eat your breakfast and dinner at the hotel and lunch on the mountain.)  And the hotel was like 20 feet from the gondola.  Can't beat that.  At all.  Wake up, eat, and then a simple commute.

 And Switzerland has wonderful fondue.  You have to eat fondue if you visit.  I went with the group I skied with for lunch one day.

Zermatt is a wonderful town.  That you take a train to get too.  Since they do not allow gas vehicles of any time up there.  Only electric cars.  Kinda like golf carts on steroids.

And the church, with a unique fountain in the foreground:

Christine

Christine in Munchen (Munich)

This visit I actually went around and took some pictures of the sites.  There are a couple famous structures right next to each other.  Construction of the Cathedral of Our Lady started in 1468.  It is a gothic church with two dome towers.  Of course it is under construction/rehabilitation.  I'm sure you are shocked.  But I managed to take a couple of pictures where you can't tell.  Bavaria, Germany (where Munchen is located) is a rather catholic area.  I also saw the Rathaus (town hall).

Cathedral of Our Lady (Frauenkirche) 

Inside the church

Rat House, Glockenspiel

The Glockenspiel plays for tourist at 1100, 1200, and 1700.  I did not know that.  But happened across the show at 1700.  I need a tripod for my ipod.  Really, I think that is the only way to stop it from shaking.  Unless someone has another idea.  In that case, please leave it in the comments.  Danke.

I took some of pictures from the steeple at St. Peter's church.  It was a lot of wooden steps up.  Too many in my opinion.  I was too busy moving and forgot to take any pictures.  But trust me, it was not fun.

Railing where I stood is right under the top clock.

Fest way in the background.  You can see the ferris wheel if you try hard enough.

I also visited the Munchen Residenz.  It is huge with lots of rooms to see.

I loved the treasury.  Really, who doesn't love crowns?

Crown of the English Queen, 1370 (oldest English crown known)

There is a long tour through the Residenz.  The Castle was first built in 1385, but added on to over the centuries.  It was damaged during WWII.  However, it is renovated and refurnished, but not necessarily with the same pieces.  Though much of the artwork was saved.  

Of everything, even the jewels, I wanted to to take this desk with me.

More Neptune.  Remember Athens?

  

Christine

Ps.  As you can see, when I toured some of the sites, it was typical Deutschland with dreary, rainy weather.  No sun.  The day I was outside.  Palace day, mostly inside touring, was beautiful and sunny.  Such luck.  Maybe I need to check the weather as I plan my trips...