August 5th 2025. Korschenbroich to Berlin

 

For my birthday this year Harry and Tina have gifted Stuart and I with a cheeky trip to Berlin.
 This is a city that with all my gallivanting around in the 1980’s, I didn’t get to and have always wanted to.
If  I had come at that time, it was 1989 and the time that the wall was coming down.Such an historical time.
So 30 odd years later here we are.

Up early to be prepared, I am very excited for this trip, although feeling a bit guilty leaving the Benders when they  are graciously having us stay. Both Beate and Burkhard have given there blessing, probably happy to not have us underfoot for a few days whist they party plan.

Anyhoo, Tina and Harry also graciously get up early to drive us to the Düsseldorf Bahnhoffen for a four and half hour trip to Berlin. 
Apparently the German trains are notoriously late, which surprises me but not today.
We grab coffee and we’re off.
Great trip and I love just watching out the windows, although today’s were a bit obscured.
We arrived about 1.30pm and decided to walk in the direction of our motel and sightsee along the way




The Reichstag building ( German government building)




The Brandenberg gate which was erected on the site of a former city gate. A symbol of German division during the Cold War but now a national symbol of peace and unity.




The Holocaust museum just close by to where we are staying


Moved into Motel one, which is beside a very fancy and busy shopping mall.

We decide to take some time here, in the bar, pull out some maps and orientate ourselves and make a plan for tomorrow 

Looking at people recommendations for almost everything, I come across the Blue Man Project Theatre.
This is a group of visual performance artists who remain totally anonymous behind their blue masks. ( seriously, google them.)
Stuart and I became interested in these guys some years ago after seeing some great videos of them performing. They are in residence here in Berlin.
Too hard to organise tickets on line, so we thought we would head down there, 5 mins walk on the other side of Potsdamer plazt.
Well, we bought some tickets from a chap for tonight’s performance, totally legit.😁





It was just fantastic, interactive with the audience which was terrifying, the girl sitting beside was taken on stage.
Totally random but such a blast to see them in Berlin.


Afterwards as we wandered around Potsdamer Platz  we see so many different remnants of the wall and so many stories. Incredibly sobering.






We take the short walk home and settle in for the evening, feeling a bit weary.

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