This was my second time visiting Berlin, and I thought it was great. Unfortunately, the Pergamonmuseum was closed for the second time I attempted to visit it. This is after visiting Pergamon, Turkey, and being unable to see the ancient relics that were looted by the Germans. The museum is currently closed to visitors and is expected to remain closed for 12 to 18 years, between 2037 and 2043, for the execution of comprehensive renovation works. Every other consideration regarding my visit to Berlin is secondary to that disappointment. I waited ten years to visit the Pergamonmuseum, only to discover I will need to wait another 15. –Germany I had a lot of work the week I visited and was unable to attend the KitKatClub, a famous nightclub in the area. Maybe I will pay it a visit when I am sixty years old, returning to see the Pergamonmuseum. I visited Berlin’s Zoo, as well as some other blasé landmarks; e.g., Jewish memorials do not interest me in an age of Israeli genocide. Which you can see in the photos. Going just about anywhere is fun when I bring my camera with me, because the ordinary becomes a fun challenge […]
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Berlin never had a chance. Then again it didn’t exactly help its cause. I took a bus with four friends to Berlin from Munich where I had just experienced Oktoberfest opening weekend. The friends that I was with were excited for Berlin – unrivaled nightlife, romantic cultural history and significance, blending of Soviet influences and a culture distinctly different from Bavaria. A culture distinctly less appealing to me than Bavaria. Wifi was very hard to find – none available in the many coffee shops we visited, making actually getting work done problematic. A main reason for my visit to Berlin was the Pergamonmuseum, a museum showcasing the relics looted from the ancient site in Turkey I had visited the week before. Unfortunately I learned upon arrival that the exhibit within the museum showcasing the looted items is under reconstruction until 2019. As for that historical romanticism surrounding the concrete wall — doesn’t do it for me. Nor does the night-life or clubs that my peers are so excited about. Maybe it’s because I’m 35 and the idea of buying drinks until 6 am sounds silly or I just feel no connection to the euro-chic — Berlin culture isn’t my thing. So I […]
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