the land of long words.

i promise that i wont start off all my travel posts like this but once again, i'm still trying to sort through my thoughts from my visit to berlin. germany was my first, and what I will assume to be my most emotionally and intellectually demanding stop while in europe. as we all know, germany is a country with a very fascinating, but dark history. 

i spent most of my time at the many museums and info centers learning about the second world war. for years i have spent time in school learning about the several historical events that took place in this country. however, no textbook write up or picture will ever give you the feeling you get when you are physically standing at the foot of the berlin wall or at the gates of a nazi concentration camp were several mass murders took place.  

history aside, berlin is a wonderful city. it's filled with amazing architecture (as i'm sure most of europe is), beautiful parks, cheap but tasty beer, river canals, and strange but entertaining street buskers (see picture below). 

i am extremely thankful that i had the chance to visit this beautiful city. though it at times as a tourist it isn't the most cheery and uplifting city to visit on a holiday, it's an experience i would highly recommend.   i am glad that i am now able to understand a significant part of our relatively recent history in a new way. 

'Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe' tribute piece and museum. 

The Berlin Wall

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp 
A bunkhouse, originally built to hold 150 men.
Within 2 months of the camp opening they put up to 500 men in
each bunkhouse. Sometimes they would sleep 2 to 3 
men in each bed - 9 men per bunk. 

'Hard work will set you free'
The gates into the concentration camp.

Four fences all the way around the camp.

Completely random, I know.  It felt nessasary to add this picture because you
 see people all over the city playing the accordion. 

This beautiful building I was told is one of the 'newer' buildings in the city,
but it was made to look really old. When I asked my friend
how old is a 'new' building, his response of 200 years old made me laugh.
In Calgary, if a building stands for 100 years it becomes
a historicical building. 

Their words are miles long. I will never attempt to learn German. Why not
just keep things simple like we do in good old Canada with
our straight forward '17th Ave'?!