Deutschland Uber Alles (Spring Break Part 1)

Well, it has certainly been an eventful, memorable, fantastic final break. While other students were busy poring over books to prepare for their final exams, I was busy going where no Arielle has ever gone before: to Cologne, Hamburg, Berlin, Dresden, and Prague. Talk about making my time in Europe worthwhile-- I don't think I could have fit more into it if I tried! It is impossible to combine all my locations during break into one blog post; therefore, I've decided to save my adventures in Prague for a later post. 

After flying into the Dusseldorf airport from Edinburgh, my first destination was to nearby Cologne, but only for the night. It is a small city compared to Berlin or Prague, but it had its own quieter charm from what I experienced. I felt that I had to visit, after seeing the Notre Dame Cathedral and St. Peter's Basilica, and Hamburg was a little too far away from my airport after a flight anyway.

The famous Cologne Cathedral was as awe-inspiring as it looks on all the travel websites, albeit quite a bit darker than one would imagine. Unfortunately, the outside was under construction, limiting the impact of the building's famous exterior. The stained glass inside was beautiful, however, and I always enjoy the feeling I get when standing on a UNESCO World Heritage Site. All things considered, though, I was still upset that I didn't smell any cologne... in Cologne. Because how cool would that be?

My next stop was to the buzzing city of Hamburg, where I had the pleasure of staying at my friend Henni's house for a few days. I was especially grateful to see Henni one last time, since she is not staying for Dollar's last term. Her family was extremely generous, enthusiastically suggesting sights to see around the city and even taking me out to sushi.

In a word, I would describe Hamburg as industrial-looking: not exactly pretty, but enjoyable nonetheless. My favorite free tour organization took me from the Rathaus, the glorious-looking Hamburg Town Hall, to the historically significant churches of St. Nikolai and St. Michaelis. But the high point of this destination was undeniably the Philharmonie, a new and beautiful concert hall and impressive addition to the city's skyline-- its architecture was amazing, and its view even better.

Thanks to Henni and her family, this was also where I got a little more familiar with the German language. For instance, they taught me that the funny little "ß" sign is actually a double s, like in the word "straße" (meaning street). German wasn't too difficult to understand considering the fact that English is a partially Germanic language, but I could definitely still work on my listening comprehension skills... Anyway. Similar to Cologne, I regret to say that I also didn't eat a hamburger... in Hamburg. That's because hamburgers weren't actually invented in Hamburg, but it still would have been pretty cool. Maybe next time, Henni?

After a few days, I made my way down to Berlin, which has been on my list of places to visit for some time now. Berlin was one of the most beautiful cities that I've seen, although not in the way that I expected it to be. The gritty street art blended surprisingly well with the countless memorials, and it did sort of have a hipster, modern vibe despite its historic reputation.

I stayed in a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy-themed party hostel, which was certainly an interesting experience in itself, but my main intention was to immerse myself in the city's past. This obviously included seeing the Berlin Wall, but also the Brandenburg Tower, the Victory Column,Checkpoint Charlie, the site of Hitler's former bunker (now a car park), the Bundestag building, the Berlin Cathedral, the Holocaust Memorial, and so much more.

The Brandenburg Tower, which is actually quite similar looking to the Arch de Triomphe... and was in "Paris Square." Hmm.

The former Reichstag building, now the Bundestag building, seen from a Soviet war memorial.

Unashamed hipster photos of the Berlin Wall, just because I can.

The now extremely touristy Checkpoint Charlie. For like 20 Euro, you can get your passport stamped here.

There was so much that I didn't know about East and West Germany during the Cold War before I was able to explore Berlin, but personally witnessing all the artifacts, all the pictures, all the locations was more than I could ever have asked for. Exhibits such as the Topography of Terror and the Berlin Wall Memorial provided interesting, practical information, and it was refreshing to see a country being so honest about its history.

I also decided to buy a 3-day pass to the Museum Island, another UNESCO World Heritage Site and practically a city of its own, which turned out to be a great idea-- especially with the unbelievable student discount. Most of the museums (like the Neues Museum and the Altes Museum) focused on ancient history, going back as far as the Stone Age but also covering Greek and Roman areas, but I have to say that I enjoyed the National Gallery the most. However, there was also another independent musical instrument museum that I particularly enjoyed, which held Bach's original harpsichord among other priceless treasures, as well as a riveting National History Museum. Can you tell that I like museums yet?

Not exactly sure what these are, but I want one.

The longest dinosaur skeleton ever assembled, in Berlin's Natural History Museum.

A Roman arch in the Pergamon Museum.

I did very much enjoy the culinary legends of Germany here, from traditional Currywurst to Turkish Doner Kebaps to rich German chocolate, but I also experimented a bit with cooking in the hostel kitchen. As you are probably aware, Berlin is also famous for its delicious world-class beers (that I did not have ANY of AT ALL, because alcohol is BAD. Don't drink, kids.).

*Angels singing in the distance*

There was also more to Berlin than I expected, given that it's one of the biggest cities in Europe now. Right in the city center, there were beautiful gardens to explore on a nice day, and I was also able to see some of the creepy "ghost" train stations that were discontinued during the Cold War era. Overall, I was more than content with my findings in Berlin, and was so glad to be able to see it before my school year ends.

One of the "ghost" stations near the Berlin wall.

Dresden was my next stop, again only a few hours' train ride away, and was a great culmination to my experience of Germany. It was more touristy than I had anticipated, giving it a lively atmosphere-- I hadn't seen so much ice cream in one place since I was in Venice. There were less specific sites or landmarks here than in Berlin, but I still was able to walk through the Zwinger and around the elegant Frauenkirken. The Furstenzug was also a highlight of this location, being the largest porcelain wall panel in the world.

The Furstenzug in all its glory. Try saying that five times fast.

Dresden's Frauenkirken, (Church of Our Lady), which was unfortunately closed upon my arrival.

I wish I had spent more time here to explore Dresden, especially to learn more about its tragic history during World War II. You can still feel (and sometimes see) the effects of war on the area, even though the bombings took place decades ago. Like in Berlin, the bullet holes and shrapnel marks are visible on the few old buildings that actually survived-- it's a sobering reminder of what occurred where I was standing. Nonetheless, I was glad I stayed here (if only for one night), and would definitely go again if I have the chance in the future.  

And after Dresden, I continued to my final destination of Prague, which will be Part 2 of this post. But if there's one thing I can say for sure, it's that I fell in love with Germany-- its diverse landscapes, and its friendly atmosphere. It was so nice to be able to experience it, and to cross it off my ESU bucket list. Maybe I'll return someday, but until then, I have lots more adventures elsewhere.