I decided to meet a good friend of mine visiting Berlin and drive back with him across Germany to Cologne passing by Leipzig, Weimar, Erfurt, Frankfurt and finally Eltz Burg. One of the top highlights for me was Berlin of course, where we went on the free walking tour and checked out the night life. It was also my first time to visit Kreuzberg, which was a very lively neighborhood and quite close to some very cool night life areas. We also went to Tempelhof Park, which is actually an old Airport, which they’ve now turned in to a HUGE park. You could find people flying kites, planes, grilling, Kite-Skating, smoking Shisha and pretty much anything you can think of!
Leipzig was much smaller than I expected and so we moved on the next day to visit some friends in Weimar. We stopped by one of the largest concentration camps on the way called “Buchenwald”, which was used by the Nazis and then the russians as a labor camp and then prison. The camp had a really nice memorial for those who were trapped there, which is basically a plaque on the ground with a list of all the nationalities of the prisoners who were there. The special thing about this plaque though, is that it always has a temperature of 37 degrees representing body temperature, regardless of the season. Once you bend down to touch it and feel the heat, you automatically find yourself bowing down in memory of those who died.
We also stopped by Erfurt on the way, which has a really impressive cathedral and an even more impressive old town. It’s also a very walkable town, almost like Weimar, which we learned is one of the biggest destinations for the Bauhaus architectural movement. It’s also famous for hosting Goethe and Schiller for a while.
Finally after visiting more friends in Frankfurt, we stopped by Eltz Burg, which is a very impressive and well maintained castle in the middle of the forrest. It’s quite a hike to get there, but the views are fantastic!
It doesn’t matter when you visit, Berlin is almost always under construction!
Only in Berlin: Ali Cola…. “Tolerance tastes great”
One of the main symbols of Berlin… the victory obelisk.
After a great Burger we put together a small fortunes cookie storyline.
Berlin Wall Graffiti… “The diagonal solution to the problem”
Waiting for our tour to start in front of the Brandenburg gate.
They have some of the old german Trabant (Trabi) cars here, which you can rent for a quick ride around the block.
The view from the museum island featuring Cathedral and TV tower.
Art?
Some Kreuzber street art.
Leaving Berlin behind…
This was a monument in Leipzig to remember the battle of nations, which took place in the area, where Napoleon was defeated.
The gate separating the guards from the prisoners at the Buchenwald concentration camp. It roughly translates to “Everyone desreves to be where they are”.
One of the many beautiful buildings in the old town of Erfurt.
That’s one small flower pot!!
I wonder who started spitting first?
Downtown Erfurt
Weimar: where Schiller meets Goethe.
The Bauhaus movement attracts a lot of students and this is manifested by lots of art pieces around the city, for example this one.
And finally after a long way, the highlight of the trip: Eltz Castle.
Hidden in the middle of the forrest.