Day 6 - Sight Seeing

I decided to do some sight seeing, I mean, it’s a necessity in a city steeped with so much history, right? I set off for Potsdamer Platz, map in hand. I’ve become pretty reliant on maps, especially of the train system.

I got off in Potsdamer Platz and wandered around the Sony Centre. There isn’t much to do in Potsdamer Platz, or at least I didn’t find much to do, but there Sony Centre building is interesting to look at, luckily it was a really nice day for wandering around. I checked my map and decided to walk up to the Holocaust memorial, which is closer to the Reichstag than Potsdam but what the hell.

I tried to follow my map (which actually isn’t nearly detailed enough) and ended up with no clue where I was. I did come across a park though, which I managed to work out was part of the Teirgarten.

After having a little look around I got myself back on the right path and walked up to the memorial.

It’s astounding. When you put the people running up and down the aisles and climbing across the pillars aside, and just concentrate on the feeling of the place, of being right in the middle of it surrounded by huge black pillars towering over your head, it’s pretty incredible. 

I went from this up to the Brandenburg Gate, which was just full of tourists and people dressed up trying to make money, including a random Predator.

OK so here’s some more advice, some I will keep in mind from now on. I was stood at the gate texting someone and was approached by some woman. Obviously since I couldn’t speak German I just shook my head at her but she thrust a clipboard in my face. Well I wasn’t really thinking, and in England usually when someone wants you to sign something its just some sort of petition so I was like alright whatever and signed it. And then she pointed out that it’s for giving a donation. Ugh! I was still in some sort of daze and for some reason gave her 5 euros, but no, apparently minimum is 10! But by that point I’d already passed her 5 and she wouldn’t give it back so I gave her another 5 and she went on her way. But from that moment I felt like an absolute idiot. I can’t believe I was so slow and stupid to get sucked into that, and I’m meant to be being so careful with my money too! I’m going to make sure I’m much more alert from now on.

Anyway, I’m trying not to dwell on that (which is hard, I’m one of those people unfortunately). I went on to the university next. 

In front of the building is a comemerative installation to mark the site of a massive book burning (check info), something I was particularly interested in seeing – I have an interest on censorship in literature and studied it at uni. Well, it was a bit of a disappointment, as you can see:

The glass was so dirty you could barely see what was underneath, which seems a complete waste to me. The artist designed this piece, made it to be thought provoking, and all it is is a dirty piece of glass. It’s meant to be an empty library, I could just about see the shelves.

After that I was pretty tired. I attempted to find the Guggenheim Berlin, because apparently it’s free on Mondays but I didn’t manage to. I was tired, hungry and still bummed about what had happened at the gate. So I went home.

Later on I did a little supermarket shop, buying lunch materials, as I figure it is more cost effective to make my lunches. I had a pizza, Skyped my mum then chilled out the rest of the night.