Berlin is a city that looks forward and backward at the same time with equal force. It's a glimpse of recent, and not so recent history that is surrounded by cranes erecting a growing skyline. This was evident when I occasionally worked in Berlin more than 10 years ago and it's even more evident now. (By the way, the picture of the "You Are Leaving the American Sector" sign is from the lobby of the building that I used to have a part-time office in Berlin years ago. See below!) Berlin is as if someone combined Old Europe with New Singapore in the same city.
On the train from Prague to Berlin, a nice couple returning home from Austria to Berlin told us that there is no city center to Berlin, there are many and you just need to chose the one that fits your mood or your needs for the particular moment. Want to see one of the most modern energy efficient buildings in the world architecture that pushes the limits? Just walk a block to the left. Want to see church that remains bombed out from WWII and serves as an example of the horrors of war? Just walk a block to the right.
Though it's beautiful to see Berlin by foot or by the S-Bahn, a boat tour of the city through its two rivers will give you even more perspective. Like two different card decks that have been shuffled together as one (yes, we played a lot of double solitaire on the train from Prague), Berlin is a mesh of new buildings built right in between the surviving old buildings.
Style and Taste
Berlin is sophisticated and stylish. The locals are easily spotted, because they are often better dressed than the tourists. The stores are primarily upscale and there's a lot more variety than you find in Southern Europe. The food scene is exciting. Sure, if you really want that sausage or pig's leg, you can find it and it's good. But, if you are open to new tastes or familiar tastes from back home, they are there as well. We enjoyed great Thai food for lunch in a restaurant filled with workers from the financial district. At another meal, we enjoyed Berlin's version of fusion, which turned out to be tuna carppacio wrapped around veal tartar followed by venison with wild mushrooms.
Layers of History
You don't have to look far to find yourself in the middle of a history lesson in Berlin. One of the most powerful monuments was a section of the Berlin Wall that either intentionally or unintentionally had been built over the foundation of the headquarters of the Gestapo, Hitler's state police that terrorized the citizens of Berlin and Germany in general prior to and during WWII. Right there, in the space of about 30 meters, you have evil layered on top of evil...the wall that oppressed Berliners under Communism built on top of the foundation of the police that tortured Berliners and hunted for Jewish people during Hitler's time. There is extensive signage that explains what happened on that plot of ground, from pictures of Hitler's police burning books to the remaining section of the wall filled with graffiti. You can't help, but feel a little sick as you view the images that all of this really happened and right where you're standing.
Just down the street is the Checkpoint Charlie Museum. Unfortunately, Checkpoint Charlie has been commercialized a lot since I saw it more than a decade ago. It now has an "American Soldier" (local guy in sort of a uniform with a flag) that is offering pictures of himself next to the guard booth for a price. We couldn't tell if this was a government employee that was part of the exhibit or just some guy who figured he could earn some Euros by dressing up. Given that there is now a McDonald's in the background, it's not a very moving or real picture.
However, just next to it is a museum that shows the history of the wall and, more inspiring, all of the different innovations East Berliners created to go over, under and through the wall. There's even a car with an engine compartment that holds a person inside and an arc welder that can hold a small family inside while still appearing to be a functional welder when the side panels are opened up by guards. In my opinion, this is one of the best museums in the world, on any topic. It really captured the imagination of our teenagers, who lingered at exhibits and then came back to get us to show us what they had found. Sure, it's hot and cramped. But, it's a must see if you are visiting Berlin.
Reflections on Our Journey
I'm back at work now and was greeted by many coworkers that wanted to know what the best part of the trip was. When I thought about it, I realized that the answer is not as simple as a location. Sure, some spots were better than others, but that's not what made the trip great. It was the conversations. I mean real conversations, not texts or emails.
At home, we are lucky to have a meal together once a day if practices, business trips and other activities don't get in the way. When we do, we talk about logistics. "Who needs to be where and when? Who is driving? Who is picking up? What supplies need to be picked up for the latest sports practice? Who is having a sleep over? Who needs a check for the field trip or camp? Are lunches made? Did the dog get fed? Where is the dog, by the way?"
During our trip, we had three meals a day as a family and rarely talked about logistics. We talked about the cool things we had seen and what the kids thought about them. We talked about how the sites we visited linked up to their studies at school. After all, if your teenager is studying the Renaissance in school, for example, then seeing the real deal in Florence turns out to be not only amazing, but has the added benefit of putting them in the expert teaching role. They were telling me things I had long forgotten from school. After a month of this sharing that ultimately led to bigger topics about friends, careers, school, art, etc., I felt lucky to get to know my family on a different level. I feel like I met my kids all over again.
Next summer will be the prelude of our next chapter with our kids. We'll be looking at universities, one of which my daughter will venture to the following summer, and both kids will have full schedules with their high school sports practices. We'll try not to drift apart, but we'll all be a lot busier than we were this summer. It's nice for me to know that we'll always be able to look back to our Summer of 2013 together. Whether it was the expression of my son when he thought his octopus dinner was bonding to his tongue in Lisbon or the sight of crossdressers singing to a sea of gay men in old town Sitges, Spain, we'll have memories that we'll all be able to look back upon and smile. Take that Clark Griswold!
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