Jule's Hikoi: 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.