Erin: Day 6: Berlin, Germany

Day two found us waking up late… Really, really late.  We didn’t get up and leave the hotel until 1pm our time!  We were going to wake up nice and early and go to a concentration camp but we decided that we needed more rest (we’ve been going non-stop really) so we slept in and finally pulled ourselves out of bed with the thought of going to see Schloss Charlottenberg - a palace here in Berlin.

Grabbing some Starbucks, a hotel umbrella and a map, we headed to the metro and took the metro to the closest stop near the palace.  We walked a short way and finally came to the palace.  The Schloss Charlottenberg is a grandiose palace that sits in an assuming neighborhood in Berlin.

The Schloss Charlottenberg in Berlin, Germany.

The Schloss Charlottenberg in Berlin, Germany.

The Schloss Charlottenberg in Berlin, Germany.

We went inside, grabbed our tickets and two audio tour guides and set off for a few hours wandering around the palace and taking in its splendor.  While we weren’t allowed to take photos inside the palace, I can tell you that it’s a gorgeous place and is deserving of a visit should you ever find yourself in Berlin.

Trina pretending to talk on a hot pink payphone…

After the palace, we went to find Checkpoint Charlie to pay it a visit as well. On our way there, we came out through a beautiful part of Berlin near Museum Island.  There were these musicians playing this beautiful music and it really, really lent itself to the authentic European feeling.

The musicians playing here were fabulous.

Checkpoint Charlie is where the US Army setup a checkpoint to monitor activity going in and out of a certain area.  It still stands and the original signs warning people not to carry arms and to obey traffic rules are still there.

Checkpoint Charlie - where the US Army setup a checkpoint in Berlin during the war.

Checkpoint Charlie - where the US Army setup a checkpoint in Berlin during the war.

Once we saw that, we wandered back to the hotel, dropped our bags and went to Vapiano to eat some good Italian food.  Now, I find myself back at the hotel to settle in with my Starbucks to do some work.  Berlin has been amazing…  A great place to take in some rest time as it has a laid back feel to it.  The people here are generally friendly and everyone in the touristy areas speak English really well.

I’m taking some time to reflect on everything too and it’s amazing…  You don’t realize how much there is to see in the world until you get out into it…  It’s fabulous and the trip is really shaping up to be everything I thought it would and more.

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