I’ve been waiting months to make an Alexanderplatz pun.
Day two in Berlin started out strong with a photoshoot! As a solo traveler, I’ve found it to be one of the best decisions to book a photographer for a few hours during my trips, to help me capture the experience. They’ve been great memories to look back on, and not only that, but oftentimes the photographers I’ve booked have shared tips and recommendations on spots to visit that weren’t on my radar, which has made my travels that much better.
Finding a photographer is easy, as well! My go-to has been to check out the AirBNB experiences in the area I’m traveling to. All you do is visit AirBNB like you normally would, and when you type in your destination, flip it over to the experiences section. You can scroll through any photographers available in that area and take a look at their work. Sometimes they have their social media accounts attached to their page, so you can see even more of their portfolios.
This time around, I booked an experience with Faride, who was wonderful. I loved the photos she captured.
She was also really good about giving me suggestions on what to do in the photos, which is great for someone who has a sudden existential realization that they have hands and no idea what to do with them as soon as a camera turns in their direction.
If you’re interested in booking her, here’s the link to her AirBNB experience, and here’s her Instagram.
I had a lot of fun walking around the city with her – we kicked things off at Brandenburg Tor, and moved to the Berliner Dom as our second destination.
The Berliner Dom, a beautiful cathedral, is super close to Museum Island – think directly next to it – so we snapped several photos there, as well.
Each of these spots were on my itinerary to visit this day, so it was nice to do a dry run walking past all of them to see where everything was at.
Our last stop was in Hackescher Markt in the street art alley tucked away by Haus Schwarzenberg.
It was a super cool spot – Faride told me locals typically hang out here during nights out, and it gets pretty busy.
Lastly, Faride was kind enough to walk with me to Alexanderplatz, where she snapped a few pictures of me on my phone so I could fulfill my pun dreams.
In the interest of being completely honest about the destinations I’m traveling to, I have to admit that there is in fact a McDonalds in this location, and I photoshopped it out. I could absolutely not have golden arches getting in the way of my pun!
I’ve found that there are actually quite a few fast food locations that have weaseled their way into cool or historic locations, which is such a bummer because they kind of ruin the experience of the place, Checkpoint Charlie, for example, from my last post had a McDonalds right next to it, as well.
After we wrapped up our shoot, I began my mission of seeing as much as I could in 24 hours. With my itinerary changes due to the train strike, I was losing a full day in Berlin, and I wanted to make my last day count.
First up was the World Time Clock, which was conveniently just a few feet away from me.
I also walked past the Fernsehturm, or TV Tower, which was on my list.
I’d hoped to take a tour to the top, however I was running low on time and I knew if I went on the tour it would cut down on the other sights I could see. I decided to save this for my next visit, and continued on my way back to the Berliner Dom, which I’d already purchased tickets to tour the top.
I ended up arriving a little before my entrance time on my ticket, so I hung out outside, which I had zero complaints about.
There was something about this specific view that I loved – the flowering trees at the end of the building were stunning, in particular against the cool stone arches of the cathedral. It was morning, and it was quiet. It was lovely.
The front doors were elaborate and beautiful, as one might expect from a famous cathedral. I wandered around for a bit before settling on a bench with my favorite view until my entrance time arrived.
There’s a kind of symmetry between the tops of the columns and the flowering trees that is appealing to my eyes for some reason.
When it was time to enter the cathedral, I first stepped into a beautiful room that was only a glimmer of what was to come.
Large wooden doors opened up into the cathedral.
Let’s get a close up, shall we?
I stood in awe for a few moments – the space was absolutely massive, and every inch was carved, gilded, or glass-stained. It was stunning.
There was a huge organ to the left of the cathedral, which I really wanted to hear play.
And of course, I’m always a fan of a good ceiling.
Absolutely stunning.
Up next, was – well, up.
It was a very casual 267 steps to the top of the Berliner Dom. My legs had not yet recovered from the flights of stairs I’d climbed the day before, but I was determined to see Berlin from above.
The design of the building along the way was beautiful.
Even the railings had intricate details.
After many heavy breaths and growing-numb legs, I made it to the top.
Look how pretty she is!
I definitely thought it was worth the trip to the top to check out the city.
Another glimpse at the TV Tower!
Unfortunately for me, I’d begun to run into the same issue as the day before – I’d not eaten yet, and I was definitely not hydrated. After a few hours of roaming around the city, my stomach was demanding to be fed, so I reluctantly began climbing the steps to the ground level of the Berliner Dom.
The way down was a little less aesthetically pleasing.
Somehow this reminded me of National Treasure. Which may not actually be saying much, as most things remind me of National Treasure.
As I descended and walked along the main floor, I came across a gold coffin I passed on my way to climb to the top.
While it wasn’t open during my visit, as it was undergoing renovations, the Berliner Dom is also home to the Hohenzollern crypt, which is the final resting place for many Berlin nobility. A few of the coffins were gated off along the main level, including this one, which I thought was hauntingly beautiful. It was interesting to see such a strong display of grief in conjunction with a coffin – I can’t recall a time that I’ve seen anything like that. I’ve mostly seen imagery of heaven and angels in relation to death.
With that, I decided to stop at the small cafe near the exit of the Berliner Dom, which served waffles and apfelschorle.
I’d never had apfelschorle before, so I was excited to try it. I liked it a lot, and ended up ordering it a few more times during my travels in Germany.
While enjoying my waffle, I noticed that there were two little old ladies enjoying glasses of chocolate milk, and I contemplated how adorable it was that they were sitting there chatting and gossiping in the cafe of a church over a pair of glasses of milk. Friend goals, for sure. As I looked at the items on the menu, I realized that the cafe did not, in fact, serve chocolate milk, and they were actually drinking an alcoholic beverage that simply looked like chocolate milk, and decided that they were absolutely friend goals. I do actually want to shit talk with my friends while having a drink in a church. What an oxymoron.
Nourished, I continued on my journey on Museum Island. The flowers were budding, and the city was lovely.
And I absolutely love a good museum.
Here we have the Alte National Galerie, which I only visited briefly, though I’ll admit it was one of my favorite buildings architecture-wise.
So lovely! And once again, a display of solidarity with the Ukrainian flag.
I knew I didn’t have enough time to fully explore each museum, so I had to make some tough choices on what I wanted to see. So I picked the Neues Museum, because if there’s one thing about me, it’s that I’m going to high-tail it to the Egyptian wing, and this was a whole museum of it.
I can never get enough of 1) museums 2) art and 3) Egypt, so the combination of all three is always pure magic.
Look at this relief fragment!!
Think about the people who made this. How long did it take them? How many had they made before this? What materials did they use? Were they humming little songs to themselves as they worked? What did those songs sound like? Incredible little moments in time, all scattered throughout this building, and others just like it.
Imagine being the artist to create these pieces. I don’t even have good handwriting – I can’t imagine carving this cleanly.
The Neues Museum had a cool, engaging section in which you could walk through an offering chamber.
Hieroglyphic-covered rock rose up around you in the room as you walked through the exhibit – it was so cool examining the craftsmanship on these walls.
This is going to sound ridiculous, but this set of columns was eye-opening to me. I’ve walked through many an exhibit with ancient Egyptian artifacts, including immersive exhibits that allow you to walk through massive structures covered in hieroglyphics, all of which were a pale monotone, with the occasional spot of neutrals here and there. This piece is the first piece I’ve ever seen that has retained a fairly significant amount of its original color – it was a wake-up call to how colorful ancient Egypt would have really been. I’d never thought about it that way, and stood for a moment, marveling at how pretty the colors were, even though they were only a percentage of what they would have originally been. It was amazing to think about what it really would have felt like to walk along those columns during their prime.
I’d seen pieces like this before, which had retained significant amounts of their original paint, but I’d never really processed what that meant for the overall appearance for ancient Egypt.
Ok. This little guy was one of my favorite pieces in the whole museum. He was so stinkin cute, I just wanted to put him in my pocket and carry him around with me everywhere, but unfortunately that would have constituted a crime of the international variety. There was something so adorable about him!
As always, I’m a sucker for the jewelry. This set was particularly cool and dramatic, two qualities I value in jewelry.
This is one of many busts they had on display at the museum, the most famous being the incredible bust of Nefertiti, which I’m unfortunately able to picture, due to the museum’s policy surrounding photographing her. You are not allowed to take any photos of her, and the room is thoroughly covered with museum security who keep their eyes on you the entire time, presumably to prevent both theft and photography.
I was a little confused at first as to why we weren’t allowed to take a photo of her, and the signage didn’t include an explanation, so I did a quick Google search and found that the Egyptians had requested it out of respect for the Queen, and so that the space would remain peaceful and quiet in her honor, instead of the sound of flashing cameras.
And I was glad that they did. The space did have a completely different energy than the rest of the museum. It was silent, with a crowd of people appreciating the bust, and several people seated, drawing sketches. I was able to get close to the bust and admire the details and craftsmanship – it was truly a stunningly beautiful piece.
The whole museum was filled with beautiful artifacts – I could have spent the entire day wandering through their halls.
And I kind of wanted to. However, I was on a bit of a time crunch, and I decided to move on so I could explore a bit more of Museum Island.
Outside, the courtyard had begun to grow busier, with people walking to and from the museums, and a few street performers playing music on the violin.
Next up – the Bode Museum. As silly as it sounds, I didn’t actually go to the Bode Museum to explore it. I came to look at the building.
I knew I only had time to truly explore two museums, so I had to choose wisely. While I would have loved to view the exhibits inside, I was more fascinated by the museum’s architecture and location directly on the river. It was a simply gorgeous building, and I had to see it in person, even if I didn’t visit.
The Neues Museum was a no-brainer for me with its exhibitions on Egypt, but my second choice was the Pergamon Museum, and I’m so glad I chose it.
Unfortunately, portions of the museum are closed, as they are undergoing renovations that will last several years, however, I got to see enough of the museum to make it one of my favorite museums I’ve ever visited.
The Pergamon believes that its sculptures were originally intended to be enjoyed during all times of day, so as you walk through the museum, it slowly revolves through simulated daylight to simulated night, allowing you to look at the pieces from sunrise to sunset in less than twenty-four hours. It was such a thoughtful way to present their pieces, and made the experience of walking through the museum so much more incredible.
In addition to their sculptures, they included more modern artwork, which I thought was a nice touch.
They also had an incredible panorama. This was simply stunning to experience. The massive room was surrounded on all sides with a depiction of an ancient city, and again, the room changed from day to night. During the changes, you would see fires come to life as they lit up the streets, or the sunrise glow golden in the morning. Along with the changes in lighting, you could hear the sounds of the city changing: people talking and haggling at the market during the day, and the crackling of fires and cooing of owls at night.
Here you can see the difference between night and day in the panorama.
In addition to the beautiful experience in the room in general, you could climb to various heights on a multi-level platform to experience the city from different perspectives.
Outside of the panorama, they had a beautiful collection of sculptures.
Each display and aspect of this museum was so thoughtful, it made me appreciate the institution that much more as a visitor. It was a truly special experience.
I was able to see more spots of paint on some of the sculptures here! You can see bits of red on Athena here and there.
After marveling at the Pergamon, I decided to take on a challenge: the U-bahn.
One thing about me is I’m terrible at navigating public transportation! I got lost in the Metro and the Subway, and therefore am a bit self-conscious about my navigational abilities! However, I was able to navigate the U-bahn with ease. I was so proud of myself, and it made me totally pumped to navigate around Berlin without having to walk or rely on Uber. Shoutout to Germany for their clear organization skills!
As I made my way to my lunch destination, I enjoyed the views of Berlin! I low-key liked the graffiti across the city, and the juxtaposition between it and some of the beautiful architecture.
I landed at a restaurant Faride recommended to me, called Fatoush. She told me to try halloumi, which I’d never had before, so I ordered their Sesame Falafel Halloumi Wrap, and it changed my whole life. It was truly so delicious, and I have ever since gone out of my way to eat halloumi at every opportunity. Halloumi is simply a goat and sheep’s milk cheese that is warmed up until it’s melty and delicious.
I sat in the sunshine and slowly burned as I peopled-watched. It was delightful.
Faride had mentioned that as soon as the weather gets nice, Germans immediately head outside to sunbathe and eat ice cream. I noticed people out and about, enjoying the weather, and many people holding ice cream, so I decided to join them. I stopped at a spot called Süsse Sünde and ordered orange white chocolate ice cream. It was delicious.
I walked down the streets and thought about how wonderful a world it is where you can stroll the streets of Berlin, enjoying a tiny cup of ice cream in the sunshine.
As I strolled, I came across many pieces of street art and posters, including the one above that made me chuckle! If you’ve ever seen Gremlins, you’ll know you shouldn’t feed them after midnight. Hilarious.
I passed by the Oberbaumbrücke, a landmark in Berlin that symbolizes unity. It connects boroughs of the city that were once divided by the Berlin Wall, which was next on my list to see, and conveniently across from the bridge.
The East Side Gallery was extremely busy while I visited, and it was surreal to see something I’ve read about so much in history books.
I appreciated this mural, which declared its hatred for Elon Musk.
The wall was an incredible sight to see – there was a lot of great art along the wall, which I absolutely loved.
I particularly enjoyed this quote.
It was interesting to see portions of the wall that were blank – I wondered what the process was of getting to paint a section of the wall.
I also loved this quote: “You have learned what freedom is, and you will never again forget.”
I of course had to stop to see this iconic mural – and naturally, it was the most busy. People were lined up taking photos of it and with it, and the crowd swelled into the road alongside the wall.
I also liked this mural, depicting walls across the world. A powerful sentiment.
Next, I checked out a bubble tea spot Faride had suggested, and continued my adventures across the city.
The sun was beginning to set, casting a beautiful glow across the city.
I stumbled across the Berlin Opera, which was an adorable building, covered in pink! I would have loved to see an opera here. Maybe on my next visit!
There was also a beautiful school building just across from the opera. Everything was beautiful in Berlin.
I had one more item to check off my list before I allowed myself to rest for the day: the former Gestapo and SS headquarters.
The exhibition here was extremely well done – visitors walk along the framework of the former building and read an extremely-well done series of panels about WW2.
Some of the pieces were particularly disturbing in comparison to our current times – some of the propaganda that pitched Hitler as both a man of the people, and an extra strong, hardworking man reminded me of the dialogue surrounding a few political figures these days.
It was getting pretty late by the time I finished walking through this portion of the exhibit, so I only had a few moments in the main building, but everything inside was just as well-done as the exterior.
The design and set-up of the exhibits was impressive – I would highly recommend visiting the Topographie des Terrors for anyone interested in history and WW2.
I left the museum right at closing time, which was close to dinnertime! I knew I’d be leaving Berlin the next morning, and I had to have one last food item before I left: döner. Döner macht schöner, after all.
I went to Rüyam Gemüse Kebab upon recommendation, and was pleased to find a long line outside the restaurant. Whenever I see a long line for food, I tend to believe that it’s going to be good. If Berliners think it’s worth waiting for, I’ll wait for it, too.
I stood in line for close to an hour and a half, and was absolutely ready for my döner by the time I reached the front of the line. I was also terribly confused about which kind to order, but I made my decision, and they rapidly put together my order.
They only had street seating available, and it was pretty packed, so I decided to head back to my hotel to eat. My döner kebab ended up being half the size of my arm. I did my best to eat the whole thing, but was sadly unable to finish the ginormous kebab!
It was really good though! Please enjoy my pixelated photos of the döner.
I also started my Fanta kick in Europe. I couldn’t resist finding out what the Fanta “Exotic” flavor tasted like. It was pretty good! And it was not, by any stretch of the imagination, my last Fanta in Europe.
With my final bite of döner, my final day in Berlin came to a close. I bundled up for a night of rest, before I would leave Berlin the following morning and make my way to Nuremberg. Stay tuned!
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