Winter is coming.....

Yes, it's becoming quite chilly here with some foggy cold evenings bringing eerie light and sparkling spider webs. Not spiders like I know spiders, small friendly ones not giant Huntsman or scary red backs. There's also no cockroaches. My friends laugh at my 'put food things away to keep the cockies at bay' antics. There are several bright spots with the chill. The first is a lovely warm, well insulated and heated apartment; the second I get to buy some winter woolies and boots and wear them; the third, well warm is only a short flight away.

Well, that's what I thought when I booked Friday's trip to Gibraltar and Spain. Another BA holiday too good to refuse. I chose the hotel because it had a lovely resort pool with deck chairs and I pictured myself with a book and a cocktail by the pool in my new bikinis. Did I mention I have no swim wear? Mine went in the bin when I realised it was well past its best as I packed. So here I am searching out cooler clothes to pack with my travel companion and friends having a laugh at my expense. There's been a bit of that all round really.

It seems the lovely pool has been closed for some time because it's cold in Gibraltar at this time of year! So while there will be no sunning in bikinis and books by the pool, there will be cocktails. Lots of cocktails and sampling gins and the like because apparently it's cheaper there than here. Anyway, I'm off to the Rock where I can wander to Spain for tapas and vino - So excited! You see I've never been to Spain. I've been to Portugal and to the border with France a long while ago and never ventured in. I love Spanish food and wine and am looking forward to people watching in a cantina while slow eating. 

It also seems there is a ferry to Morocco and there's a Spanish part to Morocco where it arrives. If time allows a ferry cruise might be another piece to this adventure. I've always wanted to visit Gibraltar after reading books where it features. I got close in 2013 with a day skipper course but other spots took my attention. The history is quite amazing and I'm looking forward to exploring, not quite sans a coat but at least a little warmer than here. 

Berlin II

One thing I didn't mention in the last post was how far we wandered - far too far for my new green boots and my little white shoes. I didn't learn from London and take my runners. Vanity is a fine thing, 10 plus kilometers each day will outweigh vanity next time. I have recovered, although apparently there were times my inner toddler came out, stamping my foot and demanding to stop, sit and have food and a beer or the flat 'no - it's not in that direction'. I was often wrong, blunt maps aye. See we'd turned off roaming on our phones so did it all without Google maps. I should know by now how hotel maps are not quite up to the task. Being misplaced did end up in more adventures of course. 

The day after the walking tour, after a relaxing evening and a lovely meal at the local Spanish tapas place, we set off to revisit some of the best walking tour sites. A time to stay a bit longer and reflect on Campbell's commentary. Zig zagging along the wall route, the river and through the parks and stopping longer for photos. Brandenburg Gate, a big highlight, was so packed with people it was not quite the best time for photos.   

Built between 1788 and 1791 by Prussian King Frederick William II, Brandenburg Gate was a key entry point into the city. It was also a symbol of the east west divide and reunification. It's an imposing structure. The sight of thousands of brown shirted stormtroopers and SS men marching through in a torchlight parade, cheered on by their notorious leaders, must have been terrifying. The history was laid out in photos at the Topography of Terror Museum. And the many marches and shows of strength were truly terrifying. The warm sun coxed us to a café for a spot of coffee, cake and people watching.

With the promise of a lighter walking day, we hit the underground and headed to Tempelhof.  The Airport Tempelhof was built between 1936 and 1941and was the biggest monument of the Nazi era. It become a symbol of freedom because of the airlift of 1948/49 where allied planes flew in supplies to beleaguered Berliners. The airport is made up of an elliptical airfield and an enormous building complex. The airfield was used to test early flying machines too, including early gas balloons. The site has a rich and varied early history, beginning with occupation by the Templar Order in the 13th century. Airport Tempelhof is unique. There was no other building of this magnitude, at least within Europe, in the 1930s and it became a thriving airport postwar.

The building is imposing, and now it's deserted with the airfield used by the community for weekend outings and exercise. It's huge and took some wandering, so much for a lighter walking day. Sitting on the runway with a cold beer watching families enjoying the warm day was a treat. There was a melting pot of families, people of Middle Eastern heritage grilling food and having big family picnics; English, German, French, Arabic, Turkish languages in use; people greeting each other; friends meeting up to go for a ride; people on bikes and skates zooming past; kids flying kites; derelict planes and artifacts from earlier days; all with a distant concert providing the backing track. The area is huge and thriving. All  this was watched on by a group of people in cabins, behind a high fence. Children playing together while a Ukrainian flag fluttered listlessly. Quite a contrast, and a topic of conversation for a group I could understand. 

The wander back had toddler behaviour, turned out I was right to go left not right. All settled with a cold beer and cider at Murphy's once we found it. The wander back to the hotel was very slow and a bit of a bar crawl, the very best way to see sights and people watch as the evening closes in. I was sad to leave Berlin and hope to return soon. The next adventure is in the planning stage, as always!

Jewish Memorial

Visiting the Deutsche Parliament - no one home!

Trains to life

Trains to death

The vapor trail seemed appropriate as we headed to the airport

A long weekend in Berlin

Yes, Berlin! A place on my bucket list for a very long time. A place I've been fascinated by - the history, the people, the impact of war and tyranny, the stories of real people faced with adversity, the beer. Of course the beer and the curry wurst! 

Being based in the UK makes travel to Europe so easy. Good old BA came to the party this time with a package deal I couldn't refuse - flights and hotels for a very reasonable price, leaving and returning at a time that worked and a hotel located for wanders around the main sights. Add to that a good hotel and parking deal at Heathrow and we were off. I'd stayed at the hotel once before on my way to the Caymans more than 10 years ago. It hadn't changed and still had the lovely Spanish wines I appreciated so much then. 

Berlin. I was surprised how low key Berlin was. Sitting by the canal enjoying a wine and pizza I could see the community. People returning from work walking or on bikes, some with small children in carriers or carts at the front. Like an old fashioned bread delivery bike. People who greeted each other, friends enjoying the late afternoon sun at the canal side café, older people, a group of teen laughing and enjoying their pizza, families with children running up and down the path. My German is non existent, my companion can make himself understood, well enough for the wait staff to get an English speaker! 

It was also warm enough for a light jumper, and the lovely autumn weather continued for the whole weekend. Autumn, it's been a while since I experienced a true autumn and I've been enjoying the changing colours here for a few weeks. Berlin was a whole other level; fiery trees with leaves floating on the wind to the carpet of colour covering the grass. I took photos, none of which really did autumn justice. Anyhow, we were there for a whole other purpose. 

We booked a walking tour with Insider Tours to understand more about the Third Reich and the history of this place. Campbell, from Melbourne, was the best guide. With history and politics degrees, he was extremely knowledgeable and a natural storyteller. The group was small so we got to ask questions along the way as we visited key sites ending at the Topography of Terror history museum. The loo was very much needed by then, three hours of wandering with a short stop for coffee and cake. I highly recommend Insider Tours. The first day wandering Berlin we went past many of the sights, most not signposted. Checkpoint Charlie was, and Murphy's Irish Bar nearby was a much needed stopping point.

More about the museum, and the excavated area with the information boards. The history was horrifying. A story of what people can do to other people while other people watch on. Watching and not stepping in for fear of their own lives or because they agree with the dogma. This is still happening in our world today. There was much I didn't know, even though I'm well read and enjoy history. Like  the kinder transports - Jewish children sent to England to be cared for. Children only, because English politicians didn't want the 'Jewish problem' to come there. So deeply had the propaganda impacted, allowing for the atrocities. The children who went mostly survived, the children who stayed mostly didn't. A life lottery. My heart wept for the mums and dads who had to make this awful decision. 

There is an air of hopeful renewal in Berlin, of dark histories not to be revisited by this and next generations. There are a lot of empty buildings with dark histories like the Ministry of Defence  building, and hidden ones like the location of the notorious bunker. What surprised me was the extent and damage of the wall between east and west. We followed this and each day wandered both sides of this beautiful city, east and west lines drawn by men, an outcome of devastating war, affecting so many people. I'm not sure how I would have coped with being locked up like that, people risking their lives to be free. 

I took lots of phone pics and took my big camera on some of the wanders. I've not yet downloaded these so it's phone pics again. 

Canal side dining

Joys of autumn

Soviet War Memorial

Topography of Terror - Outside display

Reichstag building