Checkpoint Charlie

Today we set off from our campsite to Berlin. We made our way firstly to the Checkpoint Charlie museum. The museum was very informative and educational and it shows you some of the ways people escaped, one lady even escaped in two suitcases.We were expecting the museum to explain what the reasons were for putting up the Berlin Wall but it focused more on the escapes. Then we went into the cinema in the museum expecting to watch a ten minute short movie and it turns out we watched a 90 minute Disney movie based on a true story on how two men made a hot air ballon and escaped with their families over the wall. We ended up watching the movie longer then looking in the museum. I still can't believe that Germany was completely divided up until 1989 when the wall finally came down.





We finished up at the museum and went to get a German style lunch. We all ordered a Currywurst which was surprisingly nice.


We were just across the road from the Jewish memorial museum and guess which is the only day that the museum is closed... Monday! Which of course was the day we happened to be in Berlin.


We finished up at the Brandenburg gates which of course none of us kids had ever heard of it but of course Mum had. So of course we were amazed by her knowledge (Dad is sitting next to me as I write this). Mum explained to us that the gates were in no mans land when the walls went up so when the walls came down the gates were reopened as a symbol of the reunification of Germany. In the end we were grateful for Mum taking us here because it gave us cover from the rain that started to pour.


I think that we had a good day in Berlin but just didn't give it justice because it was just too short a visit. If we had the chance I'm sure we would stay at least another day.

Jake

Location:Berlin