To be honest, we hemmed and hawed about visiting Berlin. It’s pretty far north and unfortunately, we’ve had to make some tough decisions and skip plenty of cities. But after a few people recommended it and we were unable to visit another friend in Austria, we made a last minute decision to go. What a great decision that was. And for Mike it was apparent the second we got off the train. The reality of how special and historically important this city is really hit home. From the Berlin’s Hopbahnhof train station, we took the S-Bahn tram to the Olympia stop – site of the 1936 Olympics. Seeing the sign for “Jesse Owens St” and the stadium where he won 4 gold medals in front of Hitler was emotional to say the least. And this was only the beginning.
From there, we had a short walk through a park and neighborhood to our host’s house. Norcan (Noour-cha), raised in Berlin but of Turkish descent, was waiting for us with homemade pumpkin soup and fresh local bread. So perfect! We had a wonderful evening getting to know her and her beautiful daughters, Semia (4) and Liah (3 mos). She made us feel completely at home and offered us literally anything we needed. Norcan also spent time making notes on our map for the various sights to check out in the city.
We awoke to a massive breakfast spread with meats, cheeses, cereals, fresh bread and marmalade, yogurt, etc. Amazing. The next day we met our new friend and host from Munich, Kathrin at a local street market. Kathrin is originally from Berlin and was in town to visit her mother. She took us to her favorite Arabian restaurant for falafel and shawarmas. Oh, man – so delicious. Afterwards we did a little exploring then went home for a delicious dinner of Schnitzel and potatoes. Kathrin joined us as well so it was a lovely evening with our new friends. The kids watched Frozen in German with English subtitles. Funny to hear the songs sung in German by a different actress.
Next day we visited the Berlin Wall’s East Side Gallery. Upon the fall of the wall in 1989, a small portion of the wall was left standing and 101 artists painted murals on it’s East side (the side formerly controlled by the Communist GDR) to celebrate the newfound freedom. It’s such a powerful thing to stand in front of that wall and think about what it represented and the fear people lived in, unable to leave their own city. And at the same time, we remember watching with the rest of the world as the wall was torn down and how happy we felt for the people of Berlin.
That evening Norcan made homemade Turkish pizza that were SO amazingly good. They’re thin crusted with a topping of ground beef, tomatoes, mushrooms and spices. Once baked, you top with salad, fold in half and devour. Serious wow. Norcan is an ENT (ear, nose, throat doctor) and Robert is a large animal veterinarian working on Elephants, Rhino’s, Hippos etc. So he visits zoos all over the world on a regular basis. So our post dinner conversations were lively and entertaining. Good memories for sure.
We then went to the Brandenburg Gate – one of Berlin’s best known landmarks. Built in 1791 as a symbol of peace, it has seen some crazy history over the years including Napoleon taking the Quadriga (the Chariot and horses that sits on top) to Paris at one point. But it was later returned to Berlin. It witnessed Nazi power, survived WWII, was enclosed by the Berlin Wall and was the sight of celebrations following the fall of the wall. Wild to walk the streets and comprehend all that has occurred.
From there we went to the nearby Holocaust Memorial – a tribute to the Jewish people who were murdered. It’s impossible to truly describe – however, it’s basically a field of 100s of rectangular cement columns. From a distance they all appear to be about the same height. However, as you begin to walk among them, the cobblestone paths in-between them dip down, making some of the columns 20 feet high. The paths go up and down and you can meander through this maze. The sensations you feel range from being lost, to not knowing what’s next and even a lack of balance. The concept is so thought provoking and experiential. For us, it was the most incredible memorial of this type we have ever witnessed.
We spent our last day exploring the city by foot. Found a mini-Oktoberfest with Carousel. Visited the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church – damaged in WWII and preserved to show the devastation. We walked along the Spree river, saw the giant TV Tower, Museum Island containing several museums, the Berliner Dom cathedral and the relaxing Lust “Pleasure” Garden. We saw some funky street performers including a young girl rapping and singing to techno music. And we also saw some gypsy’s playing funk with a violin and a bucket. There’s also so much amazing art, design and graffiti everywhere you turn. It’s exciting for Mike as a creative professional to see the the imaginative explosion of the next generation.
Lastly, Jett got a new hand-me-down pair of skinny jeans so he fits in perfect in Europe. And he braved baby Liah tugging on his hair for a cute pic. We feel privileged to visit a city with front-row seats to some of the most powerful moments in world history. Danke Berlin. And thank you so much to Norcan, Robert, Semia and sweet baby Liah for making us feel like family. We look forward to meeting again!
Stivers Tribe 