Highlights from Berlin

A few months ago, we found out that there was a Fulbright conference in Berlin that would bring together grantees from eighteen different countries. Phil was asked to participate and was on a panel discussing different grantees' experiences with their host country and their education systems. While the conference was the initial inspiration for the trip, the real draw was exploring Berlin, particularly with other Fulbright friends who were also going to be there...how could we say no?

At the beginning of April, we spent five days in Berlin for my first time and for Phil's second time. Berlin was incredible. I absolutely loved it. Here are my initial thoughts about the city:

1. There is phenomenal architecture in the city. Since Berlin was mostly built after WWII, it is one of the great cities for modern architecture. One of our personal favorites was The Pregnant Oyster, where we had a reception and dinner one night.
2. The restaurants are top notch: a large range of options, very international, and reasonably priced compared to other major European cities. One highlight was Monsieur Vuong, the best Vietnamese food I've had since we lived in Boston.
3. The history of the city is unparalleled. The scars and wounds of WWII and the communist regime are still palpable. From the remnants of the Berlin Wall to the newly designed Monument to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Berlin exposes its past like few cities I've been in.
4. The museums are also high quality. We bought a three day pass and could enter fifty different museums! It was fantastic.

And that's just to name a few of my favorite things...here are some of the photos

Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche or Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church - bombed in 1943 and preserved as a testament to the destruction of that time.
Brandenburg Gate or Brandenburger Tor - along the central boulevard Unter der Linden of Berlin.

Monument to the Murdered Jews of Europe or Das Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas - Concrete slabs of varying sizes laid out over about 5 acres. The monument is meant to be experienced alone as you walk through it, and it was designed so you cannot walk 2 people across. Moving, thought provoking, and beautifully designed, in my humble opinion.


Remnants of the Berlin Wall - not much of the Wall still stands today, but there are a few stretches of it that exist. An incredible outdoor exhibit called the Topography of Terror is publicly accessible near these pieces of the Wall. The exhibit gave a detailed overview of Berlin's Nazi and Communist history.





Modern Architecture - just a few examples:
I.M. Pei's addition to the German History Museum


The British Embassy - what's with the crazy blue and purple elements?

The interior of Frank Gehry's DG Bank building - some say that the central swooping silver conference room looks like a horse's head...well, sort of...

Pergamon Museum - an absolute high point of museum going. As long as you can get over the fact that these are completely stolen antiquities, they are incredibly impressive. The Pergamon Alter is a completely reconstructed original alter from the 2nd century BCE. Astoundingly beautiful and enormous.


The Ishtar Gate is the inner gate of the ancient city of Babylon built by King Nebuchadnezzar in the 1st century BCE. Unbelievable.
We had lots of fun, see?!