Begin With Berlin- May 14th

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After just finishing up our tour in Amsterdam we will arrive in Berlin on May 14th via Eurorail.

Goal of the first day: explore historic sites in Berlin, meet locals and other backpackers, taste traditional German food

Mode of Transportation: bicycle ($12)

Locations to Be Visited along the Path:

1. Reichstag- Today it is home to the Federal German Parliament but historically it was a sight used by the Germans to suspend freedoms. Not only is this buildiing meaningful but being a political science student it intrigues me not to mention how cool the design of it is!

2. Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas aka. The Holocaust Memorial- Clearly one cannot go to Germany and not recognize the brutality of the Nazi's. I am such a history buff so this site is very important for me to see.

3. Checkpoint Charlie- This was the connection point between East and West Germany during the cold war years up until the Berlin Wall was knocked down in 1989. It marked the division in the country. The fact that a country can be separated in such a way is remarkable to me. http://www.berlin.de/orte/sehenswuerdigkeiten/checkpoint-charlie/index.en.php

The Food:

Lunch at Konnopke's Imbiss- A vender selling traditional Currywurst (combination of pork sausage, cut into slices, smothered with a mixture of ketchup and curry powder and then served with a bread roll or fries) Thank the Lord I am not a picky eater! The best part its only around 2 Euros which is equivalent to around $3 Canadian.

Dinner and Night time- Badeschiff Berlin- this is a ship turned bar turned swimming pool! Techno music plays while people drink cocktails! I have never been in a pool bar before so this is a must!

Accomodation:

Heart of Gold Hostel Berlin- 7-8 person dorm at $15 dollars per night!

Number of days spent in Berlin= 3

Price- 3x15= $45 for a hostel!

Estimated Cost of the day= $50 (lunch, dinner/bar/ hostel, bike rental)

I hope on this day we meet some locals or other travellers to either hang out with or get some good ideas for future venues to explore! Berlin is so much embedded in history I cannot wait to indulge in it all!

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