Not So Manic Monday

Today we slowed the pace a bit with our group taking a short trip to the downtown section of the former western half of the city. A small boy accompanied me on the double-decker bus ride and seemed as curious of me as I of him.

This section of the city is yet another contrast - with touristy souvenir and paraphernalia shops just steps away from beautiful stores such as the Kaufhaus des Westens, or KaDeWa, and sites such as the Kaiser-Wilhelm Memorial Church. Commonly referred to the New Church the site remains standing today, despite heavy shelling by the Allies during WWII - perhaps as a testament to the fortitude of the city itself.

Professor Freeman took us to the outskirts of Berlin, to the area of the current U.S. embassy, where he and his family lived during the 1960's. It's a beautiful neighborhood with a park and lake in the center. I think this would make a great place to live and write.

Further on, we visited the Allied Museum which featured one of the actual planes used during during the Berlin airlift. There was also a section of a tunnel that Eastern Berliners had used to escape to the West.
Today's Berlin is modern and chic, yet perfectly melded with a past both illustrious and tragic.