Berlin: Even the Wurst Walls Can Be Broken

Berlin was ber-illiant. But before we talk about that... some answers...

1) After accidentally changing the combination on her lock, and discovering that there are 10 000 possible lock combinations, Britt took the path of least resistance and asked the front desk to cut it off - which they did - with the largest wire cutters ever.

2) JD ate pretzels, doner kebab AND bratwurst. However, what he MOST desired after two nights of partying (more on that later), was Ichiban (or Mr.) Noodles. After party night two we found instant noodles in a convenience store near our hostel... so German.

3) Simply put, no. Contrary to what the pictures below show, Ashley is not a beer drinker. In fact, on the second night of beer drinking she had gave up halfway through and had two cocktails. Her beer drinking struggle (she means adventure) continues with the pilsners of Prague!

4) To the original question, which side of the wall did we find ourselves on? The side that built the wall.

Where we stayed: BaxPax Downtown, one subway/train stop away from Berlin's main (HbF) station. We had the hostel equivalent of a penthouse suite, with a real, clean, hot shower, a kitchenette (with fridge, stove, and dishwasher), big comfy beds and a view of the "pool". You'd think with such grand accomodations we would have gotten more sleep, but we happened to be in Berlin for two fantastic events (again, more on that later). Alas, sleep will have to wait until Prague.

What we ate: Every type of wurst, including the worst wurst, doner kebab (yum, the best meal, thank-you Turkey), and an assortment of non-German food such as fajitas, croissants, sandwiches, a donut and salads.

What we drank: Beer, beer and more beer. (And a cocktail or two if you are Ashley)

What we did: Learned a LOT. We did a walking tour that vastly increased our war history knowledge, stood on Hitler's bunker, viewed the Berlin Wall, read our way through the history of the SS in the Typography of Terror, walked through the Jewish Memorial and past Checkpoint Charlie, saw some rebuilt Prussian buildings and then climbed 200-some odd stairs to the Berlin Dome. Partied a LOT. We just so happened to be in the capital of Germany for the Germany versus Greece 1/4 final Euro Cup game. Berlin goes all out for these games by shutting down the street in front of Brandenburg Gate, putting up a number of large screens, and broadcasting the game. Us and tens of thousands of Berliners came out to show German pride... and to drink beer. And Germany won 4 - 1! How exciting! The next day Germans (and lots of non-Germans) came out to show a different kind of pride through celebrating Christopher Street Day - the kickoff to Pride Week and paying homage to LGBTQ struggles. There was a parade followed by a large street party in the same place the soccer match was, but this time the large screens showed vintage footage of LGBTQ activism alternating with rainbows, and speakers blared dance beats. Note: Lady Gaga rules the world.

Lessons learned: (pre-Berlin) Double check the platform when you get to the train station before carrying massive suitcases up a flight of stairs, and then, when you ask an information clerk which platform to go to, double check that he is right. This will save your arms. (Berlin) When a group of men is wearing fastenators, they may just be a travelling soccer team playing games, not a stag party. This will save you from having to buy a round when you make a bet that they are a stag party. If your big suitcase doesn't give you away as a tourist, buying a subway/train ticket will. The locals NEVER buy tickets to ride the subway. When they check for tickets (which they rarely do), there is only a 40 euro fine.

Most awkward moment: When Brittany got forcefully "bibbed" by an angry German woman who delivered an order of fajitas to our table. Please request a re-enactment of this when we get home.

We have now arrived safely in Prague! It is beautiful. We have a few new questions that will be answered:

1) Will Ashley, JD and Britt figure out what language they speak in Prague?

2) Will JD figure out what food he must eat? Will the bugs that perpetually attacked JD in Berlin (we suspect they were attracted to his yellow shirt) follow him to Prague?

3) Will Ashley find a place to go swimming (she has been on vacation for 6 days and hasn't gone swimming!) Will she ever drink a beer again after those delicious cocktails?

4) Will Britt finally get a chance to take 15 different shots of the same item/building/landscape (she hasn't had a chance to stand still for very long!) Will she run out of hair gel, since her and Ashley are sharing hair gel after the great hair straightener destruction of 2012?

Stay tuned!

Our Motto: rEVOLution