We both had currywurst for dinner, definitely an unusual but good mix of flavors. This Hilton has no executive floor, but the woman at check-in told us we were upgraded to a room with a view, a few floors above street level.

View of the Deutscher Dom from our room. In the background you can see the communication tower at Alexanderplatz. This area is east of the Brandenburg Gate, and before 1990 was known as East Berlin. 

Here are some photos of what we do best: me being a badass scientist, and dad drinking beer. Wait. I’m the college student, so that’s probably more accurate the other way around. Emil Fischer, the stoic statue, is a well-known biochemist who invented Fischer projections, which may still haunt you from that one time you took a general chemistry class (possibly the only decision in college you truly regret, despite what you claim). We got totally lost in construction zones trying to find this statue, so although it may not seem like much, it was quite a victory. 

What I will share with you next cannot possibly be captured by a camera. 

This is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, which, despite the blunt title, leaves quite a bit to the imagination. From the outside, it simply looks like a plaza filled with cement blocks two the three feet high. It is only once you walk inside that it swallows you whole, the ground drops beneath you and you are within seemingly endless rows of unnamed, unmarked, towering tombs. It certainly sent shivers up my spine. 

And to finish this post with something a little more lighthearted: 

We visited the Reichstag as the sun went down. I’m still not sure how we managed the timing so well. It was truly majestic, watching the horizon blaze up for the glory of the day before dwindling into a quiet dusk. The night breeze tickled the German flags into movement, saluting the sliver of moon that dangled overhead. I leave you with this picture of the Brandenburg Gate, taken, of course, by my father. We will have more tales from Germany for you tomorrow. 

Arrived at Berlin airport around sunset. We are both rather tired, especially Checkers. Found a bus to Alexanderplatz and then a U-Bahn train to get us to our hotel (about 45 minutes).

Cute baggage claim concept!

As we exited the plane, trays of these chocolates were made available.

Woke up around midnight to find out Checkers had texted that her flight from Durango to Denver had been delayed about an hour making for a tight connection to the Frankfurt flight. Checkers made the flight and, by about 11 this morning, landed in Frankfurt.

I walked around the English Garden which bounds the hotel property on the west. Cold and foggy, but a nice stroll. Found the Chinese temple beer garden, one of the largest in the city. Must be a crazy place in the summer! Now hanging out in my room after a sauna and swim.

Bridge over a stream in the garden.

It was foggy in the park.

Chinese temple beer garden.

Sculpture near hotel reminiscent of a Japanese Shintu gate.

Woke up early and waited until the lounge opened for breakfast at 7:30, but it was worth the wait. Hopped on a tram and then S-Bahn and U-Bahn to the Olympic park where the BMW (beh-em-veh in German) factory, welcome center (pick up your new car), and museum are located. Toured the museum, which shows the complete history of their motorcycles and cars as well as the history of Mini cars.

The very important signs that tell you which way the train is going.

An artistic Mini.

BMW Welcome Center, sometime likened to a mushroom.

BMW Museum.

Self-portrait in a train window.

A rather empty S-Bahn train near the end of the S8 line.

A welcoming monk at Kloster Andechs.

Pork belly and potato salad. Yummy!

Time for another Doppelbock!

Altar inside a small chapel in an alcove of the church at the monastery.

By the time I got back into the city, it was raining. Dinner at the hotel.