The Berliner Ensemble.doc

Greetings from Prague!
I'm taking a morning break from sightseeing to give you the scoop on the latest sights and sounds.

We left for Berlin on Thursday evening at 11:30pm and arrived the next morning at 9am. The city is positively buzzing with great vibes - it feels alive with potential. Berlin is one of those cities right now that is gaining momentum; it seems like everyone in Europe knows that it's a spot to be. Our experience definitely didn't disappoint.

A visit to Berlin was important not only to see what everyone was talking about, but also because I have been in two shows recently that were set in the very city (Cabaret and Boulevard of the Brave). It was wonderful to have the opportunity to explore the places I had only pretended to visit on the stage.

We didn't waste any time once our bus landed in the city. We took the nearest U-Bahn, which we jumped around on all weekend, to Alexander Platz and started walking through the city. It wasn't before long that we wandered upon a square dedicated to Marx and Engels (with statutes recognizing their achievements). Obligatory photos were taken. The plaza also houses the TV Tower (one of the iconic symbols of the city). From there we walked down the length of Unter den Linden where we stopped in at a holocaust memorial, Humboldt University (whose list of alumnus includes Marx, Hegel, Benjamin, and Einstein), and a Ferrari shop that had beautiful cars on display.

It was then that we got to more aggressive sightseeing. We made our way to the Brandenburg Gate which is called the most recognizable landmark in the city and we waited in line for an hour and a hour to have entry to the Reichstag. To say this building has a lot of history is an understatement. Visitors are shuttled to the
top of the building where the Reichstag dome provides one of the most comprehensive views of the city. The cupola designed in the dome's centre is made of hundreds of mirrors that shift and shape as you climb to the top. The neatest thing about the building is that you can see parliament in session from below.

We took a break from the major attractions to check into the hostel. It featured an impressive all you can eat breakfast the likes of which I haven't seen in Europe (we smuggled food out whenever possible). That evening we went for a Turkish meal (dirt cheap in Germany) and then vistied the Berliner Ensemble. We were unable to get tickets for a show that evening (a big disappointment) but were not suprised since the major attraction playing right now is Three Penny Opera directed by Robert Wilson. It's touring to Amsterdam in April so I'm hoping to catch it then. It was still neat to make it to Brecht's theatre. We ended the evening in a really huge pub near the Zoo which just so happened to be playing Beatles songs. The bar was packed, the German pilsner was flowing, and the crowds here singing along. It was a great capper to the day.

The next day started at 9am at Berlin's Museum Island (a UNESCO hertiage site). For the outragerous student price of 7 Euros you have access to the four impressive museums that compose the grouping. We went to the Pergamon which houses the Peragmon Alter and the Ishtar Gate (the Gate was one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture I've seen) and the Egyptian Museum where, unfortunately, it was impossible to see the bust of Nefertiti due to renovations. After spending three hours in the ancient museums, we went to visit ancient dead people! We made a stop by one of the most well known cemeteries in the city where Brecht and Hegel are buried. Afterwards, we made our way to the Jewish Museum Berlin. It is, without a doubt, the most innovatively designed museum I've ever been to. Daniel Libeskind designed the museum, which opened to the public in 2001, and his focus on creating an experience for the visitor was very much apparent. I cannot do it justice in a blog post (and think I'll avoid description all together) but walking through the The Garden of Exile, Holocaust Tower, and the Memory Void were all extremely moving. You must see this museum if you go to Berlin.

After a full day we enjoyed a bit of a chichi dinner near the theatre district and again were unable to snag cheap theatre tickets for the evening (we think we missed the alternative theatre scene altogether). This turned out to be a blessing in disguise because instead we went for a drink in the lobby of the German National theatre and then headed to a jazz club called B Flat where we caught some amazing African infused jazz. It turns out it was the weekend of live music for us!

For our last day in Berlin we planned yet another adventerous day - it began at the Holocaust Memorial near the Potsdamer Platz which is a square of grey blocks which houses a memorial walk underneath. Again, it was another moving experience tracing the history of the Holocaust, not only in Berlin, but throughout Europe. From there we went to the opposite end of the city to a most bohemian festival where there was live music, wonderful food, hipsters, punksters, and antique collectors alike, and all kinds of wonderful junk. Markets will forever remind me of Europe I think. Afterwards, we jumped on a bus tour around the city (for an affordable 2 Euros) to catch some of the sights we didn't get to. We realized we had been able to attack a really good portion of the city - we went East, West, North, and South over the three days, saw four museums, pieces of the Wall, two concerts, and rode on three types of transport. Courtney (who was a fantastic travel companionfor the first leg of the trip) departed home for Amsterdam that evening but I had three hours to spare before heading to Prague. I went for a late evening walk to the Olympic Stadium. While I was only able to walk around the gate, it was the perfect site to end the trip with.

Man, how do you summarize three amazing days in Berlin in one blog post. Bottom line: the city is amazing. It feels more happening than even London or Paris and has a gritty alternative edge that makes it all the more attractive. The photos I was able to capture are stunning. Watch out for them. I'm getting total guide treatment here in Prague but I'll tell you all about it in the next post.

Until then...

Doc's Prescription of the Day:

“Berlin combines the culture of New York, the traffic system of Tokyo, the nature of Seattle, and the historical treasures of, well, Berlin.”
Hiroshi Motomura, US Law professor, 2004

"I still keep a suitcase in Berlin."
Song by Marlene Dietrich in 1957