EUROPE!

Vacation has officially begun, round 1 at home, round 2 at the airport. First leg is Phoenix to Seattle.

Gearing up for the long leg of the trip...Seattle to Frankfurt

Germany! New stamp for the passport :) Short flight to Berlin next!

Never been so happy to see an Exit sign. Woohoo...we made it!

DAY 1- Berlin

Hackescher Markt - great little area with tons of restaurants and shops!

First stop after checking into the hotel (Adina Hotel). Brauhaus Lemke am Hackeschen Markt.
Dinner:Schnitzel

Curry wurst
Real German Weissen beer
French fries with mayonnaise

Cobblestone streets everywhere with lots of activity. Berlin is charming with dancing in the streets and church bells ringing. You can really feel the carefree attitude here!

Day 2

Breakfast – Berlin @ Restauration 1840

5/23 – Berlin walking tour
· Museum Island
· 6 museums – all having to do with ancient history

TV tower - tallest building in Berlin. When the sun hits it just right, you can see a golden cross reflection. This was an unintended result after it was built as it is in direct conflict with communist ideals.

1931 – memorial to those who died in WWI
· Now it is considered a memorial for all who died in war and under tyranny
· Mother comforting dead soldier child to symbolize helplessness and grief.

Plaque at Bebelplaz commemorating the Nazi book burning in 1933

Reichstag (Parliament)

Glass cupola built on top as symbol of “transparency” in Parliament today so as not to repeat the mistakes of the past.

Memorial of the murdered Jews

Memorial finished in 2005
Everyone should experience it and come to their own conclusions about the meaning
Berlin makes a point to not hide their history
Memorial is out in the open and free
Never forget history or doomed to repeat

Hitler’s Bunker

1942 Fuhrer bunker – 8M under
Russians come into Berlin
4/13/1945 Hitler commits suicide with Ava Brown
Tablet of cyanide plus shots in the head
Cremated in 1970 and ashes scattered – only 2 KGB offices know where

Nazi ministry

Built in 1936
Same year Berlin hosts the Olympics
Nazi architecture designed to make you feel small and helpless
Windows smaller at the top giving appearance of the building looking taller. All part of making you feel insignificant.
This is one of the only buildings left standing in 1945.

Berlin Wall August 1961-Nov 1989
Jamie and I standing at the remains of the wall.

Brandenburg Gate

Check Point Charlie

Nothing today about Checkpoint Charlie is real n- it’s a reminder there is no longer a need for a checkpoint between communism (east) and capitalism (west)

Gendanmart Square
Konzerthaus - Concert House

Used to be a playhouse, but now is a concert house - classical music

Ampelmann is not just the pedestrian crossing symbol, but also a huge phenomenon. Stores selling merchandise with ampelmann are everywhere in Berlin!

Time to say good Berlin...until we meet again!

Day 3 - Amsterdam

Holy cow - bikes everywhere in Amsterdam!

Exploring...

Such quaint and windy streets. Long dutch street names...so easy to get lost!

Vending machines with hot food...perfect after a night of drinking!

We did not get tickets online ahead of time so we were unable to go inside. What to do? ... Find a local pub - Café Papeneiland. :)

Amsterdam Icebar - where everything inside is made of ice!

Canal cruise!

We took a guided tour through the Red Light District! No photos allowed of course. Highly recommended and informational!

Prostitution is legal and regulated. De Wallen is the largest and best-known Red Light District.

Tour included sights such as Condomerie, each of the streets that are part of the red light district including the Blue Light District (transgender), and Peep Shows.

Random other photos while exploring!

Day 6 - Brussels

High speed train to Brussels. There were so many of these army trucks outside the train station due to the recent ISIS attacks here!

First, second, third stops...breweries!!! Moeder Lambic Fontainas and Cafe Central

Jamie drinking Kwak Pauwels at Little Delirium Café - they make you put down a deposit just in case you break the glass!

Grand Place Brussels

Flower Market!

Random other photos while out exploring!

Day 8 - Paris

Random photos while taking a taxi from the train to our hotel!

Streets of Paris

Bar right across from our hotel with good beer!

Lighting candles for loved ones in a nearby church.

Finally got to use my rain coat - sort of drizzly here in Paris!

Found a place with tapas - Casa San Pablo

The Seine River

The church bells ringing at Notre Dame

Entrance to Notre Dame is free
· 2 older ladies with donation baskets guard the area where the pews are.
· For 5 EU – or really any donation – you can sit.

Actually being inside Notre Dame was so much more meaningful than I could have ever imagined.