Day 01 Berlin and Some Rest

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Day 01: Arrived in Berlin


DateJan 3rd, 2024 (Wednesday)
Total This Camino: 0 miles.
Total 2024 Caminos: 0 miles
Total All Caminos: 2000 miles
Lodging: Marta's Gästehäus @ $ 65
Total Lodging: $ 65
Planes: $ 1300
Total Planes /
Travel Insurance: 		$ 1470
Buses / Trains / Taxis: $ 6
Total Buses / Trains / Taxis: $ 11
Food: $ 15
Total Food: $ 41

Weather: high of 52°F, mostly cloudy, and winds gusting up to 20 mph

Meaningful Moment

Got my introductions to the German or Berlin transportation system started. From the airport I got my ticket for the S9 rapid transit line that took me all the way to my destination of the main train station.

Then this evening I stepped into the subway system in order to get from where I'm staying to Brandenburg gate. 

I made a few mistakes, but was able to ask questions of complete strangers in order to at least realize that I needed to dig further into how the system operates.

***

I helped a German couple. And it was in German. The woman asked me if they were in the main train station, having got off their subway car. And I said yes and she should go up the stairs. 

******

Wrapping up the day. Stopped back at the main train station because I knew that I would definitely find something that I could eat.

I did and I placed the entire order in German along with a few special requests. It's possible that one does not understand how much it means to me to communicate in another language. 

I spent much of my life dealing with other languages and at the age of, starting at 68, and now 70, to be learning my fourth language successfully even if it's very basic.

Random Thought of the Day

Trying to figure out whether I should start hiking tomorrow or just explore more of Berlin. 

I was going to spend two days here, but I'm thinking I might prefer to explore Berlin on the tail end of this trip. 

Especially since as you will see in the next section, after a little nap I got up and walked around the city a bit.

On the Road / Notable memories

Brandenburg gate



The Brandenburg Gate is an 18th-century neoclassical monument in Berlin, built on the orders of the King of Prussia William Frederick II after restoring the Orangist power by suppressing the Dutch popular unrest. 
One of the best-known landmarks of Germany, it was built on the site of a former city gate that marked the start of the road from Berlin to the town of Brandenburg an der Havel.


Holocaust memorial



Memorial to the Jewish victims of the Nazi regime. The farther in you walk the deeper it sinks into the ground and the taller the plain stark concrete pillars become. For lacking and artistic style of grace, it is a very powerful monument. Like when I visited the Dachau Concentration camp in Munich, I cried.

That's what art is supposed to do ... It's supposed to make you feel something.


I see they have an exhibition inside, so I feel I must check it out. The attendant warned us that the exhibition is recommended for 14 years and older as it is intense.




Checkpoint Charlie






I must say I was disappointed with the old American control entry point into East Berlin. In reading, I learned that after the fall of the wall, the entire area was turned over to developers. 

In a subsequent decision, a small portion was saved, but the development is palpable. You can see a McDonald's in the background, and there was a Kentucky fried Chicken to my left.

Hauptbahnhof (main train station)






Street views






My lodging for the next two nights



I have a two bed room for one. I'll get some good sleep tonight. 🙂

I also got my first Pilgrim stamp in my Camino credential here.

Did I mention this is run by a Protestant church group? It's a full service hostel, very family friendly, and I'm going to bet not a whole lot of drinking alcohol going on.

Okay, I was wrong. I'm sitting down in the reception, no - it was made clear to me, it's the bar area, and having a beer. Lol

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