Saturday was a day to see Berlin. This is right outside the front door of our flat.
Most of the day was spent doing this.
Riding the trains was one of the boys' favorite parts.
Our first stop was to see the wall remnants. There were many stories similar to this posted around the site.
24 years ago, this picture would not have been possible. Caleb stands in West Berlin, Sam stands in "no man's land". With this kind of dramatic history so recent, it comes into direct play when considering the current spiritual state of Berlin.
Here you can see the guard tower, both sides of the wall, and no-man's land.
TV tower
Berliner Dom
We did not go inside this cathedral because of the expense and the wait.
Wandering the thought-provoking holocaust memorial. Approximately 2100 concrete blocks, each symbolizing 3,000 Jews killed. As we wandered through, we felt feelings of disorientation, isolation, coldness, and uncertainty.
Brandenburg Gate
What impressed me most about this feature was that Napoleon and his army marched through here.
Reichstag in the background.
Reichstag
Inside the Reichstag. Many mirrors help direct solar energy.
Looking up out of the center of the Reichstag - completely open year-round - rain and snow is collected below.
Down the center of the Reichstag, directly below the dome.
As we walked up and up and up, we listened to a recording of significant sights around us - we had a great view of much of the city.
Walking through the Tiergarten
It was a full, full day - we ended it with some good ice cream - our feet were thankful to be home at the end of the day.
All-in-all, a good ending to our trip.
Stay tuned for trip reflections.
Health update: The stomach virus that started with Sam has trickled from person to person, one at a time, until almost everyone in each family has gotten sick. Others in the church also have gotten it, and it has started to spread through family who stayed behind in our home state since we've been home. Obviously, whatever it is, it is very contagious! Please pray that this bug will stop!
Location update: As of posting this blog, all are home in the states, although not "home home". Our family is spending a few days in Kansas, where we needed to go anyway to pick up our younger 3 boys. It's a treat to be able to recover from jet lag without the typical responsibilities of being in my own home and getting everything back in order.
*Post title translation: "I don't know where I am." (It was a whirlwind tour - and those who know me know I'm directionally dysfuncional in the best of circumstances)
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