I just got back from my trip to Berlin and Munich, Germany. What a beautiful country! Two beautiful cities, very different from one another. While they are both very urban and populated, Berlin seemed more busy and rushed while Munich was more old school. I loved them both. Sorry if this blog is not very detailed, this is the third time I have tried to write this entry, but the past two times my internet has cut out and so everything I have typed beforehand was lost... I apologize again if this seems unenthusiastic.
What we did in Berlin:
Parliament Building - While we didn't go inside, we walked around the parliament building which was really neat! Nothing too special to say about it since I didn't see it in its entirety.
Brandenburg Gate - Super awesome to experience it in person! We hung out awhile just taking pictures and admiring a beautiful monument (at least to me it is).
Jewish Museum - Had pretty much the entire history of the Jewish religion and culture from its birth until the present day. What a neat place! A lot of information learned and the museum was very interactive and not like a typical museum where you just read a bunch of random things that you forget the next day. A lot of personal stories and collections from victims of the Holocaust and WWII. Very neat and worth the two and half hours I spent in there.
Berlin Wall - Finally checked this off my Bucket List! What an amazing historical monument to see! I was looking forward to seeing this the most, perhaps. Definitely made my day.
TV Tower - A monument where you can go up nearly 500 meters in the air and see the whole panoramic view of Berlin around you! Very neat sight. Very popular and busy. Had a restaurant and bar up above as well.
Overall of Berlin: Loved it! Germany is so beautiful. The people are so nice and helpful. The hostel was very nice, and the weather turned out to be in our favor. Not too cold nor rainy like the forecasts predicted, thank goodness. A looooot of things to visit and I saw a lot of the major things which satisfied me! So much more I could have done, but I am glad I saw what I did! We were on our feet the entire time we were here!
Munich:
Dachau Concentration Camp - Perhaps my overall favorite sight-seeing adventure in Germany. I have been looking forward to experiencing a concentration camp in person ever since learning about the Holocaust for the first time. I believe that seeing a concentration camp is something that should be obligatory, WWII and the Holocaust is something that changed our entire world history, and without it we could be in entirely different places at this very moment. It is a shame that it has been so long forgotten. Overall, the camp was very serene and surreal. Walking on the same ground where over 200,000 people were killed, and even more who may have survived or escaped, or whatever, is a morbid thought, but it was what crossed my mind upon entering.
Rathaus - A huge castle/building that is famous for its architecture. I honestly don't know too much about it, so if you're interested in learning more, go on Wikipedia like I did ;)
Royal Residence - Soooooooooooo beautiful. Very similar to the Palacio Real in Madrid (except I couldn't take pictures there!). I was so ecstatic that I was able to take pictures in the Royal Residence because all of the architecture and decorations are absolutely stunning.
Deutsches Museum - Another neat, hands-on museum that deals with modern technology and other forms of science such as natural gas, minerals, rocks, airplanes, boats, etc. Very, very neat and I learned quite a bit. My favorite was the interactive genetics section where you were faced with five different situations regarding personal stories about genetic testing and whether or not you were in agreement with the decision that the person had chosen. Also when I saw a gigantic model of a mitochondrion I got super excited (Although I am a language major, science [especially biology] is my other favorite subject)!
Hofbrauhaus - A beer brewery restaurant / company that is very famous throughout Munich. What an experience! They gave each of us a liter of beer to drink (I am legal in Europe, so yes, I did try out the beer here) and I was contemplating how I was going to be able to drink the entire glass. I also ordered four pork sausages with some homemade potato salad and it was all so very delicious. The atmosphere was very lively yet laid back. Very cool place to be and I'm glad I experienced this very popular restaurant!
Overall of Munich: Very beautiful as well! A bit more old-school and relaxed, which I prefer. The hostel was very nice and all of the German people are punctual and friendly. Loved the entire experience in both cities. Love Germany as a whole. Looking forward to returning one day!
As for my birthday!!!!
I arrived home and I felt the love! My señora had bought me a beautiful bracelet and a Flamenco fan thingy (I don't know how to describe it, sort of like those Chinese ones). It is precious! Also, for dinner I was surprised to see balloons and another gift from my lovely roommate Sarah! She bought me a neat clock with the Spanish flag embedded in it as well as a Barcelona FC coffee mug (my favorite soccer team here)! Also for dessert, we had a delicious triple-chocolate cake that my señora made all by herself... wow. I was in awe and I really felt at home. I also went back into my room to find two letters from home on my desk! My parents sent me a lovely singing SpongeBob card which made me very happy and I received a letter from a wonderful family from my church (thanks Bernie)!
It was a wonderful birthday here in Spain and I am glad to have gotten to celebrate it with wonderful friends and family in Spain and from home! Hasta luego!
My birthday cake!
Hooray!
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