Berlin - first impressions

Today was our first day of looking around Germany. We started out 
accompanying our host partners to their first class, and then we 
walked to the Werder Havel train station. It was quite cold this 
morning, so I think we were all glad when the train came, because it 
was very warm inside. The trains here are so much better than we have 
in New Zealand. They have two levels, and you can even plug your 
laptop in. After a short train ride we arrived at the main Berlin 
train station, the Berlin Hauptbahnhof, which was very impressive. 
there were at least three floors, and the whole structure was made 
primarily out of glass. There was even a Starbucks inside, and it had 
not even written its name in German. From there we made our way to the 
Brandenberg Gate, via the Reichstag. We went through the gate and met 
our tour guide for the day, Julio. He took us around the main places 
of historical significance in Berlin, and some highlights of the tour 
included the Berlin cathedral, and the Gendarmenmarkt, where the 
French cathedral and the concert house are located. Also, on a darker 
note, we saw the remnants of the infamous Berlin wall, and the 
memorial to the Jewish people murdered under Hitler's Third Reich. 
Everyone found it interesting, and we are all looking forward to 
seeing more of Germany tomorrow. (by Thomas)

Reichstag (parliament building)

Our tour guide Julio

Holocaust Memorial

Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate)

Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall)

Hans is keen to learn all about Berlin's history

East German Flag

Trabant cars were the means of Transport in East Germany, these have been done up for Tourist.

This is where the wall used to be - Anton is standing in the old western part, Frau Delgrosso and the rest of the Group in the old eastern part of Berlin

lunch break

Konzerthaus

Am Gendarmenmarkt

Berliner Dom - Berlin Cathedral