WINTER IN THE HEART OF EUROPE
PLACE VISITED: BERLIN/POTSDAM/FRANKFURT, GERMANY
BERLIN
Berlin, Germany - Dec 24 to 28, 2016
Germany's biggest city, bustling though it's cold and wet. Our tour in Berlin during winter is certainly different from all other trips we had. Quiet neighborhoods and long boulevards make famous walks in Berlin with finest architecture and modern art that makes you feel like walking in the past and suddenly coming to the present. People are friendly and are always willing to help. We lost our way once and met Sophia who was extra helpful and kind. Christmas markets which are popular in Germany are so colorful and lively. We enjoyed the variety of food and shopping most importantly the vibrant Christmas spirit from Germans and fellow tourists. (We also saw the site of the recent truck attack and it is indeed a sad sight😞) The East Side Gallery is such an iconic (emotional) piece of the Berlin wall remains that is now a long stretch of colorful murals and expressions of freedom. For me, this is one of the best spots in Berlin |
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POTSDAM
Day trip @ Potsdam, Germany (Dec 26, 2016)
Potsdam is the capital of German federal state of Brandenburg and is very close to Berlin. We've read that it is widely known for its castles and landscape as a World Heritage Site being more than 1000 years old so we were intrigued to go. As it's winter, it was a good idea that we went there around 9:30am and stayed before sunset at 4pm so we were able to see a lot of the famous palaces and landmarks. Our tour guide was very informative. I've learned that Potsdam was the residence of the Prussian kings and German Kaisers, until 1918. We enjoyed seeing much especially at the Sanssouci park and the Russian colony at the northern part of Potsdam. Sanssouci is the name of the former summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. By the end of our day trip we strolled around the baroque square and christmas markets, enjoyed german street food and sweets we already started to love😍 |
FRANKFURTFrankfurt: A city of contrasts
Frankfurt is a city of contrasts. It is a global financial center with a modern skyline, but it also has a rich history and culture. The city was heavily bombed during World War II, but it has been rebuilt and is now a vibrant and cosmopolitan metropolis. We recently had the opportunity to visit Frankfurt for a few days, and we were really impressed. Here are some of the things we enjoyed the most:
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