Leaving Berlin

August 9, 2010

My flight wasn’t leaving for Budapest until mid-afternoon, so I thought I would walk around in the morning first. I decided to see the other side of Berlin, and not the historic, touristic area, so I set off on my trek to the famous television tower (Fernsehturm) that was built in the former East Berlin as a symbol of their superiority over the West. On my walk to Alexanderplast, I noticed how the buildings/homes on this side still had a “communistic” look to them and didn’t look quite western yet.













While taking pics of the tower, I met these 2 French boys enjoying Burger King in their Burger King crowns. Friendly art/graphics students traveling around Europe before continuing school. One of them is going to Detroit for graphic design school. One said he lived atop the Moulin Rouge and the other said he lived next to the Notre Dame in Paris. Don’t know how much I believe them, but it’s a good story anyway.



















Finally, I decided to check out Checkpoint Charlie (get it? check out? never mind…)


Trying to save some money, I decide to take public transport to Schonefeld airport (the former East Berlin airport, which is way farther out than the Tegel airport to which I had arrived). I thought it would be cool to arrive on one side and leave on the other side of Berlin, even though the wall wasn’t there anymore. It was fairly easy except for the change from metro/subway to train. It was the same station but nothing I consulted (internet, concierge, maps) mentioned that you had to leave the metro station, go above ground, and then go to the train station of the same name. Ugh. So I kept looking for the platform to the airport in the metro station when I should have been in the train station. And I only had a 7 minute connection to catch the right train. If I missed it and took the next one, I would miss my flight!

Looking for the platform in the wrong place in 90 degree heat lugging your bags is NOT my idea of a fun time. Anyway, I somehow figured it out, found the right platform, and got on the train. Phew.

Nothing to report on the train ride to Schonefeld, except for a bunch of heavily tattooed young skinheads boarding the train and hanging out right next to me. I thought it was kinda scary, but also kinda cool. I got to see a bunch of them on my way out of Berlin! Cool! I thought I would try to clandestinely take a photo of them, but chickened out.