Berlin, Germany

It's going on 7pm here in Wisconsin, but my body is trying to tell me it's really more like 1 or 2 in the morning.Ah, the joys of jet lag. But, as the saying goes, "west is best and east is least". So, I'm happy to be once again in the west and having an easier adjustment than when we flew east! 

This is a picture of a very jet lagged me in the Alexanderplatz in Berlin...

Berlin was my least favorite city on the trip, probably in part due to the jet lag, but also because of the architecture. Berlin was, of course, a very divided and torn city for decades. And it shows. 

Most, if not all, of the cities we were in on this trip have beautiful city centers and historical architecture. Berlin does have some historical areas and buildings, the Brandenburg Gate, for example, and Museum Island. 

But the city itself is not attractive. There is tons of graffiti everywhere, the buildings are grungy and plain.

The city has visible scars. And maybe for some, that's the appeal of the city. But in my jet lagged state, I couldn't get into it. Maybe I'll give it a second chance someday. 

Here is a picture of a section of the Berlin Wall. The sections have been recently painted and it's kind of an outdoor art museum now.

By far, this was my favorite part of Berlin. Our hotel was just 3 blocks away from this section of the wall, so we were in a prime location. 

The Spree River runs through the city, and even divided the city into different sections during the Cold War. This is us standing on a bridge spanning the river, just a block from our hotel.

And this is a picture of a famous tower in Berlin, originally used for broadcasting purposes, I think. Now it's a tourist attraction.

Next up, Prague, Czech Republic, which turned out to be our favorite city!