Deutschland

Yesterday, I went to the office for a few hours and then was hosted by one of my vendors for one of the most beautiful days I’ve ever been to US Open. I watched Naomi Osaka win in her first round match and picked up my luggage from checked storage and headed to nearby JFK.

After an overnight to London and transfer to Berlin, I arrived in Germany! My friend Ryan who came here for the World Cup, used to sporadically yell out “Deutschland” at the office, so I decided to title my post as such. I decided not to check any luggage during my trip and realized it was much easier to pack because I didn’t plan a variety of activities that required different shoes (i.e. hiking, sneakers, and etc). SunTransfers dutifully picked me up at Tegel airport and dropped me off at the Mercure Checkpoint Charlie. I could have taken public transport, but I knew my brain would be tired from the overnight and transfer.

Although I planned a 2 hour nap or so after my shower, it ended up being closer to 4, so I left the hotel around 5 pm. As I was starving at this point, I stopped in a nearby café for a pastry and a coffee where they played music from the stylings of Usher.

I walked over to Checkpoint Charlie which was a famous crossing between East and West Berlin. Here are some photos:









Then I walked over to the Topography of Terror museum - it was the location of the Gestapo, headquarters of the Reich, and Reich security main office. There were exhibits inside and outside, including remnants of the Berlin Wall. I found everything to be super sad - clearly we cannot ignore the past, but I’m sure it is very difficult for many perusing the information and remembering the impact it had on so many people and cultures.









I walked over to Potsdamer Plaza where I saw the Berlin Philharmonic building - the orchestra is supposed to be one of the best in the world, but their performances were sold out these few days. A photo below of the nearby Sony center which was hopping:



And here, there are more remnants of the Berlin Wall at a very dangerous crossing at Potsdamer Plaza:



Walking along the road, I passed by memorials for homosexuals that had been prosecuted and Jews of Europe. Such a sad history and so overwhelming - I am reminded of the Holocaust Museum in DC’s motto - Never forget....





Then I made it to Brandenburg Gate - a symbol of Berlin. Here are photos of the front and back:







And just beyond the Reichstag, the German Parliament including the cupola designed by Norm Foster, the architect behind the Hearst Tower:



I then hopped on the underground and transferred to a bus to get to the Kreuzberg neighborhood. My Berlin welcome card includes free transport within the city. It’s interesting because the metro doesn’t include turn styles and they just rely on trust and spot checks by the authorities. I headed to Cafe Jolesch as my friend Noelle told me they had the best schnitzel which I paired with a Carlsberg beer - picture below:



After dinner, I hopped on the train and met a nice Turkish fellow who helped me navigate the rerouting of trains to get to the zoo area. I met my new friend John, who is a friend of a friend in NY. Last week when we went to Joe’s Pub to watch Korean drumming with some of our mutual friends, we realized we were going to be in Berlin at the same time! We met up at Monkey Bar (another Noelle recommendation) where we enjoyed apperol spritzes and some birthday drinks. Happy Birthday John!



After drinks, I got into a cab and headed back to my hotel. It’s always fun to meet with new friends in new cities!